Despite tightened financial regulations in Ukraine, illegal gambling platforms targeting local users continue to operate. In an investigation broadcast on the «Znaj.ua» YouTube channel, journalist Kateryna Kotenkova revealed technical and corporate parallels linking the unlicensed online bookmaker Parik24 and the legal operator GorillaBet to the Parimatch ecosystem.
According to the investigation, the illicit website Parik24 uses mirror sites and processes payments through P2P transactions directly to personal bank cards. Platform analysis indicates significant technical alignment between Parik24’s architecture and Parimatch’s infrastructure.
«We are not asserting that this is the same company. However, when an illegal platform targeting Ukrainians displays substantial technical overlap with a network linked to the Parimatch ecosystem, it raises questions that demand regulatory scrutiny,» noted Kateryna Kotenkova.
The P2P payment mechanism remains a critical concern: user deposits route to personal accounts owned by undisclosed individuals, completely bypassing state tax requirements.
Similar technical overlaps with the technology provider GR8 Tech were discovered on the site of licensed operator GorillaBet. In June 2026, regulatory body PlayCity fined GorillaBet, though the company retained its operating license. Integrating GR8 Tech software does not inherently confirm a direct link to Parimatch, as the provider delivers IT services across the broader market.
However, investigative reporters traced GorillaBet’s historical ownership chain. The operator’s founding owner was JSC «Symbioz,» which links through the asset management company «Investment Partners» and JSC «Maidens» to businessman Hrant Dayan.
Dayan is concurrently a defendant in an ongoing criminal case involving the embezzlement of over 20 million UAH from «Kyivproekt» through the purchase of devalued shares. Charges against Dayan include large-scale asset misappropriation via abuse of office and document forgery.
While no direct proof establishes that Hrant Dayan or Parimatch explicitly own Parik24 or GorillaBet, the identified corporate routes and shared IT infrastructure require formal review by enforcement agencies.