Scandal over Favbet: regulator fines Matyukha's business 933 million hryvnias, activists demand an audit of budget losses

The gambling brand Favbet, which in the Ukrainian media space is linked to businessman Andrii Matyukha, has found itself at the center of a new wave of criticism. The trigger was the financial performance of several companies associated with the brand, a decision by the state regulator, and the question of possible underpayments to the budget. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a Facebook post by the public organization "Non-Stop Ukraine."

Regulator's decision: license suspension and fine

The situation escalated in April 2026, when the state agency PlayCity suspended the license of LLC "Favbet Game Slots" to organize and conduct gambling games in slot machine halls. According to the regulator, a fine of over 933 million hryvnias was imposed on the company for violations identified during an inspection. This decision became the most concrete and documented element of the entire story, unlike a number of other allegations that remain at the level of activist claims.

Two years without a license: activists' calculations

Activists draw attention to the fact that, according to their data, Favbet may have been accepting bets from Ukrainian players for about two years without a bookmaker's license, obtaining it only at the end of 2022. According to the public organization's calculations, this may have cost the budget at least 216 million hryvnias in lost license payments alone, not counting taxes. It is important to note that this figure is an estimate by activists, not an official conclusion by a competent authority, and the source text explicitly states that it requires verification.

Negative financial statements and charitable donations

In parallel, the organization claims possible violations in the financial activities of structures associated with Favbet — in particular, misquoting, tax evasion, and the transfer of funds through foreign and payment structures — and states that it has reported these facts to law enforcement and regulatory bodies. Certain companies linked to the brand show negative financial results: LLC "FAVORIT COMPANY," which is associated with a Favbet venue in one of Kyiv's hotels, declared a loss of 96 million hryvnias, adding another minus of 29 million hryvnias over two quarters of 2024. Against this backdrop, activists draw attention to the Favbet Foundation's report on transferring 193 million hryvnias in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the state in 2024, and raise the question of the origin of these funds and their relationship to the losses of certain structures.

The trail beyond Ukraine

Questions about structures linked to Matyukha's business also arise abroad. Despite 2022 statements about leaving the Russian market, the registry of the Moscow patent office, according to activist data, still lists a registered Favbet trademark valid until 2030. Photos of an alleged Russian passport of Andrii Matyukha are also circulating online, although their authenticity has not been officially confirmed. In addition, in 2026 protests took place in Croatia over plans by Premium Chicken Company, a firm linked to Matyukha, to build a poultry farm with a stated investment volume of 600 million euros; local residents expressed concerns about the project's impact on the environment.

Contradictory data

The sources contain several inconsistencies that are important to lay out openly. First, the 2022 statements about leaving the Russian market contradict the information that the Favbet trademark in the Moscow registry is valid until 2030. Second, the large-scale charitable donations by Favbet Foundation (193 million hryvnias in 2024) contrast with the negative financial statements of certain linked companies and the accusations of tax evasion — activists directly question the origin of the charitable funds. Third, the estimate of 216 million hryvnias in lost license payments is a calculation by the public organization and has not been confirmed by competent authorities, whereas the 933 million hryvnias fine and the license suspension are data from the regulator PlayCity. Finally, the photos of Matyukha's Russian passport have no official confirmation of authenticity.

What this means for the budget and the rules of the game

The fact of losses by certain companies in itself does not indicate a violation of the law; however, the combination of multi-million losses, large-scale charitable donations, and the regulator's claims naturally raises the question of the transparency of financial relations between structures linked to Matyukha's business. If the calculation of 216 million hryvnias in lost payments is confirmed, this means the loss of a resource that could have been directed toward defense, social programs, or healthcare. For society, this is a question of equal rules: the state must ensure equal conditions for all market participants, and charity must not replace transparent payment of taxes and license fees.