“ The scandals around the Ukrainian gambling business do not subside, and the case of the Chairman of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotters Ivan Rudy – only another touch to the picture of systemic problems of regulating this area. Not surprisingly, on the background of the high -profile lawsuit, the state eliminated downs and launched a new regulator. The chairman of the dorsals is suspected of aiding and abandoning the aggressor state. According to investigation, Ivan”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
The scandals around the Ukrainian gambling business do not subside, and the case of the Chairman of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotters Ivan Rudy – only another touch to the picture of systemic problems of regulating this area. Not surprisingly, on the background of the high -profile lawsuit, the state eliminated downs and launched a new regulator. The chairman of the dorsals is suspected of aiding and abandoning the aggressor state. According to the investigation, Ivan Rudy contributed to the activity of online PIN-UP-Up in Ukraine, although he was aware of her relations with the Russian Federation
In our material, we understand the essence of charges against Ivan Rudy, inspect the lawsuit on the head of downs and talk about the evidence of PIN-UP-Up with the aggressor country.
Ivan Rudy’s court postponed a hearing
On March 25, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv had to continue Ivan Rudom a preventive measure. However, his lawyers filed a petition in the Kyiv Court of Appeal, demanding to consider the jurisdiction of the case of the Pechersk court. Therefore, the Pechersk court postponed the hearing on March 27, waiting for the decision of the appeal.
The fact is that the State Bureau of Investigation, which investigates the PIN-UP case, is registered in the Pechersk district of Kyiv (Lesya Ukrainka Boulevard, 26), and is in fact located in the Shevchenkivskyi district (Simon Petliura St., 15). Therefore, there are questions about determining the jurisdiction of the Pechersk Court. Red’s defense believes that in this case the case should not be considered by the Pechersk court, but by Shevchenkivsky.
This is not the first time the PIN-UP case challenges the jurisdiction and insist on the case in the Shevchenko Court. Earlier, such an appeal was made by another person involved in the DBR investigation Igor Zotko, the nominal PIN-UP-Up owner in Ukraine.
What next? We are waiting for the decision of the Kyiv Court of Appeal, which should either agree with the request of the lawyer of Rudy to transfer the consideration to the Shevchenko Court, or to refuse and then the process will take place in the Pechersk Court.
Earlier, lawyers explained to us that it could do either in order to delay the case or in order to to move a case to court where you can “agree”.
Who is Ivan Rudy: biography and other scandals
Ivan Rudy was born on March 11, 1988 in Kyiv. He graduated from the Boris Grinchenko Humanities Institute. He served conscript service in the Presidential Regiment. Since 2013 he has worked in media business, in particular, he collaborated with StarLight Entertainment LLC, which is a member of the media group of Ukrainian businessman Viktor Pinchuk.
In 2014 he participated in hostilities in eastern Ukraine against the Russian Federation. During the battles at the Lugansk airport he was seriously injured.
He participated in the Games of the Invictus Games and was the captain of the National Team of Ukraine in these competitions in 2020-2022.
June 10 2020 Ivan Rudy by decree The President of Zelensky was appointed Secretary of the Advisory Council for War Veterans Affairs, families of the dead defenders of Ukraine in Ministry of Veterans.
On October 30, 2020, he was appointed Chairman of the Gambling and Lottery Regulation Commission.
In January 2024, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption revealed in the actions of Ivan Rudy a sign of an offense. According to the NAPC, Ivan Rudy conflicted with his subordinate – the head of the Kilil apparatus. And after the conflict he decided to take revenge on her. The Rudye awarded the commission the issue of opening disciplinary proceedings against the head of the apparatus and removing it from his position. And personally voted for it. The case was to be carried out by the Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv, however, what ended this case is unknown.
What is the accused of Ivan Rudy
The chairman of the Gambling Regulation Commission and Lottery Ivan Rudy was detained by the State Bureau of Investigation on December 18, 2024 in the case of PIN-UP-UP-UP-UP. The chairman of the dorsals is suspected of aiding and abilities.
The accusations against Ivan Rudy are that he, while holding the post of chairman of the downs, systematically ignored the PIN-UP-Up Relations with the aggressor country from the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation and other bodies. According to the investigation, the Red allowed to obtain a license to companies related to PIN-UP, and then did not take the necessary measures to stop legal activity online casino in Ukraine, despite the existence of evidence confirming relations with the Russian Federation. It should be noted that since 2023 there were many journalistic investigations into the PIN-UP-UP-UP-UP-UPA.
It is known that PIN-UP has carried out its legal activity in Ukraine through two companies: Victoria Soft LLC and UKR GIM Technologi LLC. Both were licensed in 2021: Ukr Game Technologi was licensed in April 2021, and Victoria Soft LLC in October 2021.
By data The media, in October 2021, the Security Service of Ukraine sent the first letter to the Kili with a reservation about possible Russian PIN-UP. In November 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine sent another letter to the downs about possible ties with the Russian Federation of Victoria Soft LLC. But the downs canceled The license at this company only at the end of August 2023 – 9 months after the letter of the SBU. It is known that even then there were questions to LLC “Ukr Game Technologi”, since in message Kilil dated 1 August 2023 indicated the revocation of the license as well.
“Also, given the information on the existence of indirect relations of control by residents of the Russian Federation on the activities of certain licensees, dowers will be considered on the cancellation
Gambling and Lottery Regulation Commission
Message from August 1 2023
According to judicial materials, Ivan Rudy later removed several times from consideration of the cancellation of the license of LLC “UKR GIM Technologi”, through which PIN-Up carried out its activity in Ukraine. This aroused suspicion of the possible interest of the head of downs in continuing the company in the Ukrainian market.
The possible motives for Ivan Rudy’s actions remain the subject of investigation. It is likely that it can be in a corruption component. However, more precisely, the motivation of the head of downs in support of online casino can confirm the phone of the nominal owner of LLC “Ukr Game Technologi” (owner of the PIN-UP-UP brand in Ukraine) Igor Zotko, who received law enforcement.
Phone Zotka is a valuable source of information on how PIN -UP with Russian owners and The curators were corrupted by Ukrainian courts, officials and law enforcement agencies and special services. According to judicial materials, the management of downs also received clear instructions from Zotko on how to handle the interrogation to mislead the investigation.
What is known about PIN-UP and its connections with the Russian Federation
PIN-UP was launched globally in 2016. She worked in the Ukrainian market in the so -called gray zone by 2020. The company quickly gained popularity, offering a wide range of gambling. However, after the start of a full -scale war, information about its possible links with Russia appeared with Russia, which caused anxiety in law enforcement agencies, special services and the public.
The investigation believes that the detained Igor Zotko was the nominal owner of PIN-UP in Ukraine (company LLC “Ukr Gam Technologi”), and the real owners and controllers of casino are Russian citizens Dmitry Punin, his wife Marina Ilyin and Russian citizen Alexander Matyashov. Also in the case is the father of Ilyina, who has a business in the occupied Luhansk region and cooperates with the occupiers, and Russian citizen Ivan Bannikov. The PIN-UPA is a Cypriot firm Guruflow Team Limited, the beneficiary of which is Matyashov.
According to law enforcement officers, the company “UKR GIM Technologi” (owner of the PIN-UP brand in Ukraine) after the start of a full-scale war with the Russian Federation paid hundreds of millions of Cyprus firm Guruflow, owned by the Russians. As a result, funds through other firms went to the budget of the aggressor country and to support veterans of the so-called (Russian military). It is also known that PIN-UP in Ukraine gathered data on Ukrainian military, law enforcement officers and conscripts, in particular, their location, which could harm Ukraine’s defense capability.
Elimination of dowels
Ukrainian legislation in the field of gambling provides strict requirements for licensing and operators. The downs, as a regulator, had to ensure that these requirements and prevent the entry into the market of companies related to the aggressor country.
In March 2024, even before the detention of all persons involved in the PIN-UP case and even before locking Her accounts, People’s Deputy Danilo Getmantsev demanded to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a bill on liquidation of the Gambling and Lottery Regulation Commission. He stated that during the three years of existence of downs, he could not form a culture of responsible game in Ukraine and did not submit a draft law on gambling during martial law.
In January 2025, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on the liquidation of the Gambling and Lottery (Kilil) and strengthening of gambling control. From April 1, 2025, the downs will be eliminated, and instead the gambling market will be controlled by the Pleititi State Agency, which will work under the coordination of the Ministry of Defense.
The lawsuit in the PIN-UP case emphasized the need for a careful approach to the approval of the regulators of the gambling industry in Ukraine and to strengthen the control over the activity of gambling operators. We hope that the new regulator will ensure transparency and legality of the gambling business and will be able to prevent the entry into the market of companies related to the aggressor country.
In addition, it is necessary to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of Ivan Rudy and other persons involved in the case and bring the perpetrators responsible. This will be an important signal for society and the international community that Ukraine is serious about the fight against corruption and national security.