Lifting of asset freeze on Kosmolot accounts may signal brand's return to market

Unblocking of funds as a signal to resume operations

The Ukrainian segment of online gambling may undergo changes: the "Kosmolot" brand has a chance to return to the market. This view was expressed by expert analyst Boris Kushniruk, commenting on the court's decision to lift the freeze on the bank accounts of LLC "Spaceiks", which operates under the aforementioned trademark.

According to the specialist, in early September, data emerged that the company had settled its debt to the state budget and successfully challenged the restrictions on its financial assets in court.

"Важко уявити, що власники домагалися б зняття арешту та компенсували б державі збитки, якби не планували знову вести діяльність", — наголосив Кушнірук. ("It is hard to imagine that the owners would seek to lift the freeze and compensate the state for damages if they did not plan to resume operations," Kushniruk emphasised.)

It was previously reported that the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv ruled to release the accounts of LLC "Spaceiks" from seizure. However, the unblocking of funds itself does not mean the automatic resumption of the online casino's work.

Financial claims and law enforcement activities

The circumstances that led to the imposition of the freeze deserve separate attention. According to information published in the media, the Bureau of Economic Security had made claims against the company regarding possible tax evasion amounting to approximately 1 billion UAH.

Thus, the possible return of "Kosmolot" to the market once again brings to the fore the discussion around the operator's financial transparency and the results of inspections conducted by law enforcement agencies.

Links with Russian investor Serhiy Tokarev

Publications about possible links between the "Kosmolot" brand and Serhiy Tokarev also came under the expert's scrutiny. This Russian investor was linked by media to the Roosh investment fund.

Kushniruk recalled that in 2022, media reports emerged about Tokarev's possible trips to occupied Crimea via Russian territory, as well as suspicions regarding his contacts with Russian intelligence services. The expert stressed that these claims require proper verification and cannot be considered proven facts.

He also mentioned that in 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine initiated an inspection of the entrepreneur's activities. In addition, the expert pointed to the sanctions of the National Security and Defence Council imposed on Tokarev in 2016. According to data provided by the specialist, these restrictions subsequently ceased to apply in 2020.

Regulatory context and future prospects

Boris Kushniruk drew attention to changes in the regulation system of the gambling business. He noted that the relevant powers are currently associated with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, whose sphere of activity includes the "Diia.City" project.

In the expert's opinion, the combination of these circumstances makes the situation around the possible return of "Kosmolot" particularly interesting for observers.

For now, the question of resuming the operator's work remains open. Meanwhile, the unblocking of accounts, the existence of tax claims, and publications about the brand's possible Russian business links require further attention from regulators and law enforcement agencies.