The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv has chosen a measure of restraint for Ivan Rudy, the head of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL), in the form of detention without the right to bail. This was reported by Suspilne.
According to the court's decision, Rudy will remain in custody until February 4, 2025. He is suspected of facilitating the operations of Russian online casinos in Ukraine.
In a comment to Suspilne following the imposition of the measure, Rudy asserted that the allegations against him are fabricated. When asked if he was aware that the company granted a license to conduct gambling activities was linked to the Russian Federation, Rudy stated that it is the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that is responsible for providing any comments or conclusions to KRAIL regarding specific applicants.
"Even if the information comes from a private source or from law enforcement, it must be thoroughly verified, and we do not have the function or capability to establish any facts. We can gather information and forward it to the competent authorities based on its relevance, and only after receiving their conclusions can we make decisions," he said.
Detention of KRAIL Head
On December 18, sources from UNIAN reported on the detention of KRAIL head Ivan Rudy.
Later, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) officially announced the detention of the head of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries on suspicion of aiding the aggressor state. It was noted that this pertains to supporting the operations of online casinos in Ukraine, owned by Russians.
Recall that on December 4, the Ukrainian parliament supported strengthening control over the gambling business, which includes a ban on gambling advertising. The draft law provided for the dissolution of KRAIL and the establishment of a new authorized body in its place (by April 1, 2025).