EXCLUSIVE: How Parimatch VIP Players Were Moved After Ukraine’s 2023 Sanctions

• Evidence suggests Parimatch VIP accounts shifted to VIP House post-sanctions.
• Support moved to Telegram as domains changed and links failed.
• Payments rerouted offshore to Africa, raising AML and compliance questions.

On March 11, 2023, just over a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Zelensky administration in Kyiv imposed sanctions on sportsbook and casino Parimatch, allegedly for unspecified business ties to Russia.

But Casino.org has seen evidence that just one month after that order, Parimatch quietly migrated close to 1,000 VIP players from its official site to a closed platform called VIP House without their consent — a move that had the effect of bypassing regulatory oversight.

Support communications were rerouted through Telegram, a deliberate shift away from corporate channels, while payments – although initially still processed by Parimatch – were soon redirected to offshore companies registered in Africa.

Ukraine Probe

It’s unclear whether Ukrainian players were among the migrated group. A request for comment sent by Casino.org to Parimatch CEO Sergey Portnov went unanswered. A cache of evidence including emails, screenshots, and statements of financial transactions has been sent to Ukrainian authorities, who are currently investigating the matter.

A letter seen by Casino.org shows that Ukraine’s Interagency Working Group on Sanctions Policy is examining whether the operator may have breached sanctions. Parimatch is a company that was founded in Ukraine but is now headquartered in Cyprus.

Simple Rebrand

A source who did not want their name to appear in print told Casino.org it was clear the entire VIP House interface had been rebranded from Parimatch.

“Initially, it appeared to be a dedicated VIP program or premium Parimatch portal, as the functionality, support chat, and login credentials remained identical — only the name and color scheme had changed,” they said.

Ironically, even now on Telegram, active support channels can still be found displaying the same VIP House logo, while one of them is still titled ‘Parimatch.’”

Users were also repeatedly issued new login links as previous domains stopped working, according to communications reviewed by Casino.org.

In several instances, callback attempts to support reached unrelated individuals, suggesting that caller IDs or numbers were being spoofed or recycled.

Who’s Behind VIP House?

The VIP House platform is officially administered in Curaçao by eMagnus Curaçao B.V., managed by Andrea Maria Engelhardt, a Dutch national. Engelhardt did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by Casino.org.

One user told us he was able to gamble close to €1 million via VIP House. At no point was he asked to verify his identity, provide proof of income, confirm the source of funds, or submit any documentation that would normally be mandatory under international financial-compliance standards.

Money-Laundering Risks

The rerouting of payments through opaque offshore entities, which occurred from October 2023 onward, raises clear questions about money-laundering risks. During this time, deposits were subject to an additional 10% surcharge, and customers were required to send funds to companies with no clear ownership, regulatory status, or consumer-protection frameworks.

In communications reviewed by Casino.org, VIP House support staff declined to explain the new payment structure or identify the entities receiving the funds, telling users only that the platform operated under a “different license.”

Such an apparent absence of basic compliance safeguards would typically constitute a serious breach of regulatory obligations for any licensed gaming or financial institution.