In Odesa, a court has sentenced the organizer of a network of illegal gambling establishments

 Based on the evidence provided by detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Odesa region, an Odesa court has found a 50-year-old man guilty of organizing a network of illegal gambling establishments without the required permits. The defendant was sentenced to a fine and disqualified from the right to organize gambling activities.

During the pretrial investigation, detectives established that he had involved a co-organizer in the criminal activity. She helped recruit staff to ensure the round-the-clock operation of the gaming halls. Later, another individual was brought into the illegal scheme to act as a manager, helping to oversee the operations of the venues.

The suspects distributed duties among all participants of the scheme, explained the operational rules, and provided instructions on how to avoid detection by regulatory authorities. Subsequently, they rented premises, equipped a computer hall with an online casino, set up payment systems for the games, and organized communication and video surveillance to manage operations discreetly.

All gambling establishments operated without licenses or tax payments. Entry was restricted to verified clients via phone calls only. Cashier-administrators accepted bets from visitors, provided access to gaming systems, and assisted with authorization and game selection. They also maintained special records of players and informed them about bonuses and promotions.

During searches of the gambling establishments on Filatova Street and Yaroslav Mudry Avenue, detectives seized nearly USD 30,000, mobile phones, ledger records, jewelry, and computer equipment. The total value of the seized assets exceeds UAH 2.2 million. To ensure restitution for the damages caused to the state, the seized property has been placed under arrest.

The court found the suspect guilty of committing the crime stipulated in Part 2 of Article 203-2 (illegal activities related to the organization or conduct of gambling and lotteries) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The individual was sentenced to a fine of UAH 714,000 and disqualified from the right to organize or conduct gambling for a period of 3 years.

Procedural oversight was provided by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.