Gambling was legalised in Ukraine after a 10-year ban shortly before the full-scale invasion in February 2022 and has been a profitable avenue for Russians who want to make money in the country and collect the personal data of Ukrainian gamblers.
Ukraine's gambling regulator started revoking licences last September, and this spring Volodymyr Zelenskiy sanctioned more than 400 individuals and legal entities related to Russian gambling businesses, including five Ukrainian firms. Banks and other financial institutions suspected to have been aiding the laundering of gambling profits on behalf of Russian oligarchs have also been a focus.
But the exploitation of the sector remains a threat to which the authorities say they are determined to respond, despite concerns that even the supervising bodies have fallen foul of Russian influence.
Denne historien er fra November 03, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra November 03, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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The Saudi football World Cup is an act of violence and disdain
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TV
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Murky love stories, nostalgic pop and an in-your-face masterpiece captured our critics' ears in 2024
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Votes of confidence
From India to Venezuela and Senegal to the US, more people voted this year than ever before, with over 80 elections across the world. With rising authoritarianism and citizen-led resistance revealing its vulnerabilities and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges, has democracy reached its breaking or turning point?
