Underground casinos (gaming halls) - empty cash desks and greedy scripts

SimpleGames is ready to launch an updated version in terrestrial clubs tomorrow, in accordance with the new legislation. But what about the budget allocation for the creation of "advanced" software? Who will let them collect royalties and money for technical support?
It's easier to liquidate and forget. But there is another option - repaint the sign and put it under a new owner.

According to numerous insiders, it is "Pari match" that is implementing the law on legalization of online gambling in UA. They are behind it.

The NKRSI has ordered Kyivstar, Vodafone, lifecell, Intertelecom and other Ukrainian Internet providers included in the register of operators to close access to the following bookmaker sites:
skeletinfo.org; blackmark. club; dosye.com.ua; capital.ua; vgolos.info; vilkov.com; obmen. tech; belkapay.com; teachmecash.com; xlemon.biz; smi. today; ukr. fm; theworldnews.net; parimathc.com; lxslot.com; triumphcasino.com; favorit.com.ua; lxbetua.com; parimtach.com; finbet. bet; casino.flint.bet; bazabet.com.ua; vulkanstars.com; xcasino68.com; zolotoloto.com; nostalgycasino.com; vipnetgame.com; cosmolot.com.ua (a redirect to the site kosmolotonline.com is configured from this domain - ed.); eldorado24.com; goxbet.com; gmslots.com; slotclub. casino; kozakov.com.ua; casinomoney.com.ua; xcasino57.com; slotor.com; slotclub. casino; pmcasinowin.com; joykasino.net; gmsdeluxe.com; grand-casino.com; gruppirovka. casino; wulkan777.com; 777originals.com; bosscasino.com; admiral777.com; bitcoinplay. io; vulkan24club.com; vdeluxe.net; vulkanslot.com; vulkanroyal.com; elslots.com; slotoking.com; crystalslot.com; maxbetslots.com; nikebets.com; oligarhcasino.com; pointloto.com; slotozal.com; pharaonbet.com

License price per year:
gambling hall - 3.5 million UAH;
online casino - 60 million UAH;
online poker - 11.8 million UAH;
casino 5*
from 150 to 200 rooms – 567 million UAH;
more than 200 rooms (or in a small town) – 283 million UAH.

Eduard Shvindlerman is a very secretive character, his public appearances can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But his bookmaker company "Pari Match" is on every corner.

Huge billboards on the streets, intrusive online advertising – someone might get the impression that this is a respected international brand. From-ua writes about this.
In fact, Shvindlerman's company, and he himself, have a huge criminal trail. Now this company has essentially monopolized the illegal gambling business in Ukraine and its owner is trying with all his might to remain a monopolist, pushing through a law on legalizing the gambling market that is only beneficial to Pari Match.

Eduard Shvindlerman




Shvindlerman and his business with terrorists
If someone might think that a brand advertised by various stars – Koshevoy from the 95th quarter or MMA fighter Connor McGregor – can be considered respectable – do not be mistaken. Eduard Shvindlerman is a typical example of a person from the criminal 90s, who simply managed to flood politicians and athletes with money, strangle competitors through dirty political machinations and corruption.

It is Shvindlerman who is the main beneficiary of the adoption of the bill on the legalization of gambling in Ukraine. To do this, he needed to corrupt government officials, attract lobbyists from the criminal world. And try to completely take over the gambling business in the country.
Eduard Shvindlerman started his business in Kyiv in the mid-90s. There were never any illusions on the gambling market regarding the real "shareholders" of "Pari-Match", it was obvious to everyone that the bookmaker business was invested in by criminals.

Today, Pari Match holds licenses for bookmaking activities in the Republic of Belarus (OOO Statskvo), Georgia (OOO Ringbet) and Russia (OOO Betring). And according to the same open sources, it operates absolutely calmly... in the DPR.

Here is a quote about the activities of Pari Match in occupied Donetsk from one of the gambling websites: "This bookmaker will offer everyone a wide range of sporting events. Pari Match has opened about four hundred offices, however, most of the bets are currently made online, which is not surprising. If you prefer to use your time wisely, then Pari Match is an ideal option." That is, Shvindlerman's company is successfully developing its business in the occupied territories, in particular, in today's Donetsk. And, without a doubt, they pay a share to the terrorists who rule the unrecognized republics. This information is useful for understanding that today the person who is trying to seize the gambling industry in Ukraine is feeding the separatists who are killing Ukrainian soldiers at the front almost every day.
After the gambling business was banned in 2009, Pari Match did not go anywhere and continued its activities in an illegal way. Gambling, bookmaking, casinos, poker - all this is Shvindlerman's fiefdom. The owner of the company and his accomplices managed to bypass the ban by registering the betting business as a Toto lottery - a lottery in which the winners are determined depending on guessing the results of random events in various types of professional or amateur competitions.

After the gambling ban, Shvindlerman claimed that the company had left the Ukrainian market and had nothing to do with the parimatch.com website. Of course, this is a blatant lie. All this time, Pari Match was gaining momentum and entangling the country with its networks. Moreover, it tried to whitewash its illegal gambling business by pouring money into sports tournaments. Thus, Shvindlerman's bookmaker's office, in an uncertain status, acts as a sponsor of a number of sports structures, including the football Premier League and the Ukrainian Hockey Federation.

Nevertheless, Eduard Shvindlerman always had problems with the law – not everyone could be bought. For example, from the ruling of the Pechersk District Court after a search conducted on October 15, 2015 at the residence of one of the founders of the bookmaker's office, it follows: "During the searches, documents, objects and things were found that indicate the organization and conduct of gambling under the Pari Match logo on the Internet." The investigation into the fact of conducting a gambling business is being conducted by the National Police. At the same time, the Prosecutor General's Office opened a case against Pari Match. According to the investigation, a group of criminals organized a scheme for withdrawing funds passing through the bookmaker's office to Russia. An account in Alfa Bank was used for laundering; investigators estimated the daily flow at about 20 million hryvnia. The total amount of laundered funds is 350 million dollars per year.

Investigative journalists from the publication "Nashi Groshi" wrote about this criminal case, in which the journalists named Eduard Shvindlerman and another person. The latter, as stated in the publication, was the owner of FC "Leogaming Pay". In October 2017, the accounts of FC "Leogaming Pay" and LLC "Leogaming" were frozen.
Thus, with one hand Shvindlerman allegedly sponsors Ukrainian sports, and with the other he transfers hundreds of millions to Russia and feels great in relations with terrorists in the occupied East. What a respectable businessman, what a respected brand!

Billion dollar appetites
To understand the scale of the illegal profits that Shvindlerman receives from Ukraine, it is enough to watch the interview with Sergey Portnov, CEO of Pari-Match. From it we learn that Pari Match, which, let us remind you once again, conducts illegal bookmaking activities in Ukraine, receives an annual income increase of +43% in dollars, and its market share in Ukraine is up to 40%. Given that the shadow turnover of the bookmaking market in Ukraine exceeds 1 billion US dollars per year.

At least 60 million a year is spent on marketing. And, according to various estimates, the profit that Shvindlerman's company receives from the illegal gaming business is 25.2 - 85 million dollars a year.
The management estimates the value of the company "Pari Match" at 500 million dollars. Back in 2016, they wanted to sell it to GVC, and the sale was supposed to happen at the peak - to get 1 billion dollars. But for the sale, a license in Ukraine is needed, since Ukraine is the main market and income of the company. General Director Portnov said: "The Ukrainian market is huge for us, incredibly huge, the price of a player is cheap. In Ukraine, a player is at least 3 times cheaper than in Russia."

But you can't sell an illegal business. That's why Shvindlerman's appetites continued to grow. So a large-scale special operation called "legalization of gambling under one company" was conceived. And here he needed lobbyists and political corruption.

The "Give Everything to Shvindlerman" Bill
Shvindlerman decided to implement his plan to monopolize the gambling market on a large scale. First of all, representatives of the current government were involved in the scheme - for example, the head of the "Servant of the People" faction David Arakhamia, as well as the envoy of the "Luzhniki" criminal world, lobbyist Boris Baum.
The saga around the development and promotion of the bill has been going on since September 2019. First, a government bill was written, then alternative ones appeared. But they all have one thing in common. Legalization of gambling in the form it was prescribed in these laws automatically means "killing" both legal lotteries and potential competition among bookmakers in Ukraine. The entire market will belong not just to bookmakers, but to one company - "Pari Match". At the same time, the provisions of the law practically cut off foreign market operators who could bring rules, values, and respectability to the wild gambling business in Ukrainian. This is what experts, market participants, and international specialists say.
Resistance to Shvindlerman's attempts to establish his own "raspberry" in Ukraine is quite logical both on the part of experts, other market participants, and public activists. The key problem with the proposed bill is that it, in essence, does not solve the problems of the gaming business through legalization. The problem of illegal slot machines remains unresolved, the rules for placing casinos, bookmakers and gaming halls are unclear, and there is a complete lack of strategy and tools for combating gambling addiction. Which could turn into a real social catastrophe for Ukraine.

But Shvindlerman and his henchmen continue to try to push through the current version – after all, there is a lot of money at stake. The next stage of the large-scale legislative scam, according to some sources, is planned for February 4. It is on this day that the vote for draft law No. 2285-D is scheduled in parliament. It is obvious that the beneficiaries of the monopolization will have to use all methods of pressure, blackmail and buying up votes of people's deputies in order to collect the coveted majority "for".

In essence, there is an absolutely real threat that an entire area of the country's economy will fall hostage to businesses with a very noticeable criminal past and present. And all this under the name of the country's ruling party and the head of state himself.

Apparently, Zelensky does not understand this (or does not want to understand it) either. Which suggests that some people in the Presidential Office already see themselves as having a share in this market. Considering the reaction of the head of state after the failed vote for the legalization bill, which first took place on December 19, it is possible that both he personally and his closest circle may be interested in pushing through the bill in its current form.

Servants of "Paris Match"
Who is leading a potentially important sector of the Ukrainian economy into the teeth of a monopoly monster in the interests of Eduard Shvindlerman? Journalists from the "Schemes" program found in their investigation that the head of the "Servant of the People" faction, David Arakhamia, has been visiting the central office of the bookmaker company "Pari-Match" located on Bozhenko Street, 14a in Kyiv since July 2019, where he meets with the minority owner of the company and its CEO, Sergei Portnov. Rumor has it that the price is the issue to interest the parliamentarian - 5 million. Apparently, he liked the figure.

David Arakhamia involved the law firm Eterna Law in developing the government bill, or rather its owner and founder, Andrey Astapov, who had previously worked with Pari Match. In a direct conversation with journalists, Arakhamia openly admitted that Andrey Astapov was involved in the working group to create the bill. As well as the participation of another extremely odious character, Boris Baum. Here are Arakhamia's words to journalists: "And Boris Baum is included. - And who is Boris Baum? - He is an expert who was given by other people."

David Arakhamia
Who are these "other people"? Boris Baum is the purest representative of the real criminal world. The owner of the "gambling" offshore First National Lotteri Ltd is known as a representative of the "Luzhnikovskaya" group, the main actors of which are Russians Alexander Babakov (who is subject to sanctions by the US government and European countries, voted for the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea), Yevgeny Giner, Mikhail Voevodin, who have many assets in Ukraine.

Personally, Baum, as a Latvian citizen named Boriss Baums, is a co-founder of the London firms Banita Limited, Himalita Limited, Maslav Limited, which figured in the ownership scheme and court cases for the Kyiv Rus Hotel in the center of Kyiv ten years ago. Baum is also a co-owner of the firm Brenrose Limited, which owns the RTVI TV channel. In recent years, this TV channel has been broadcasting concerts of Russian pop stars in Ukraine by the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, who, after Russia's attack on Ukraine, were included in the list of persons posing a threat to national security.

Boris Baum also appeared in Ukrainian reports of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Main Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is still investigating the criminal case of 11.03.2015, on the facts of misappropriation of state funds by officials of the company VS "Energy International Ukraine", among whom was the current lobbyist of the legalization bill. During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that officials of the said companies and business entities controlled by them embezzled budget funds.

To hold out at any cost
So, we know that the owner of Pari Match, Shvindlerman, desperately needs a license, since the costs of the legislative campaign were growing, and the price of the bookmaker was falling. And the bill was still being discussed, many people were against it. That is why Arakhamia, together with Baum, came up with the idea of taking advantage of President Zelensky's ambitions and managed to get the bill submitted for the first reading on December 19, 2019. However, the bill did not get the required number of votes.

After the parliamentary vote failed in the first reading, Shvindlerman's lobbyists decided, as they say, to "turn the chessboard." Shvindlerman, Arakhamia, and Baum blamed the vote failure on a market conspiracy, apparently telling Zelensky that the deputies had simply been bought off by competitors. Although, to be fair, the gaming market is now too fragmented to agree on the rules of the game so quickly.
And literally on December 20, following the emotional reaction of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers began to close gambling halls across the country. As a result, the entire instant lottery and sports betting market ceased to exist. At one point, 90 thousand workers found themselves on the street. The rental market lost income, and the state lost hundreds of millions in budget revenues, and lottery operators were left without land-based distribution points.
But there is one big "but"! Shvindlerman managed to come out on top in this situation too. Firstly, using his connections in power, he eliminated the main competitor in the illegal gambling market - "Favorit". On January 23, Kyiv law enforcement officers announced searches and the cessation of the illegal activities of this bookmaker company in the virtual gambling market. Shvindlerman's "Pari Match", which conducts exactly the same activities, was not affected in any way. And continues to work, as if nothing had happened. Of course, in the shadows, without any payments to the state budget. It is unlikely that anyone will doubt that law enforcement agencies received very significant support from Shvindlerman so that the "cleanup" of gaming halls and virtual casinos occurred bypassing his shadow business. At least, no one is going to stop the activities of such illegal sites as parimatch.com air.parimatch.com.

Thus, Shvindlerman with his company "Pari Match" today remains the only company that successfully conducts gambling business in Ukraine, engaged in bookmaking, casinos, slots and poker. All players and all the money have already flowed into Shvindlerman's balances. Without a doubt, with the help of bribery and corruption, he managed to increase his capitalization on the shadow market several times. All that remains is to push through "legalization" and obtain a license to sell the company for 1 billion dollars.

Between the general closure of gaming halls and the elimination of "Favorit", another important event for Shvindlerman took place. Immediately after the New Year holidays, on January 16, the draft law he needed was voted by parliament in the first reading. So for now, everything is going according to the plan of the bigwig of the illegal gaming business.

This whole depressing picture of the new government merging with the old criminal world is certainly frightening. How is it even possible that a state at war is ready to legalize the entire gambling market for one person, the main beneficiary of the entire history of legalization, Eduard Shvindlerman? A person who has been conducting illegal business in Ukraine for years and decades, quietly earning shadow millions in Russia and in the occupied territories, with which we, for a second, are still at war? This whole story is obviously beyond good and evil. And if the government follows the lead of an international swindler and does carry out legalization according to the rules he has written down, it will definitely receive a hard lesson in the future on the reasons for making catastrophically wrong decisions.

10 hotels in each city? They want to be a monopoly?