Parimatch LLC, one of the biggest players in the Ukrainian market of online casinos and betting, has said it believed the sanctions imposed against it by a presidential decree dated March 10 is a planned campaign against the company and claimed that some employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) put pressure on the company.

"We believe this is a planned campaign against Parimatch LLC and its team, the Parimatch brand, and the entire Ukrainian business. We appeal to the President of Ukraine, who is the guarantor of the observance of the Constitution of Ukraine, human and civil rights and freedoms, and ask him to verify the facts and take appropriate actions regarding all illegal violations by the Security Service of Ukraine," the company said in a statement on its website on Saturday.

According to the document, Parimatch is a brand created by Ukrainians, developed by Ukrainians, employed, and owned by Ukrainians. The company is also an employer for more than 2,000 Ukrainians. In March 2021, the company received licenses for betting and online casinos.Over two years, the company has paid more than UAH 850 million in taxes, fees, and license fees to the state budget of Ukraine.

"Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Parimatch brand has ceased operations in Russia and banned any use of the brand, the company's technical solutions, and any presence in the territory of the aggressor country," it said.

As reported, on March 10, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on the introduction of sanctions against 120 individuals and 287 legal entities.

The sanctioned betting companies and lotteries include Ukrainian Parimatch LLC, Leo Financial Company, PokerMatch UA, Your Betting Company, and Play Fan Investment.