What’s next for Ukrainian streamers after Parimatch ends?

Recently, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on various companies, including Parimatch, a sports betting company. As a result, the company has suspended all its activities in Ukraine. For all those who worked with the betting company in Ukraine, this is a hard blow.

Parimatch Ukraine announced on March 12 that it had ceased operations after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published his sanctions list of 287 companies. The companies were sanctioned in connection with Russia’s ongoing invasion. Parimatch will not be allowed to do business in Ukraine for the next 50 years. All commercial partnerships have been suspended and employees are to be laid off.

The end of Parimatch comes as a shock

For many, the news of the sanction came as more than a surprise, as Parimatch had actively opposed Russia at the beginning of the war. Parimatch was founded in Kiev, but is now based in Cyprus. The company works with a number of streamers, content creators, and Esport organizations, including 00NATION, B8, and Team Secret, for whom the withdrawal comes as a shock.

As has been apparent for some time, esports is in a financial crisis and many people have to fight hard for their income.

At the moment, there is nothing to suggest that Parimatch’s activities outside Ukraine will be affected by the sanctions. (The rights to the “Parimatch” brand are held in Europe by various companies under franchise agreements.) In addition to the organizations, a number of streamers and content creators are now looking for alternative sources of revenue at a time when economic uncertainty around the world and the ongoing war in the country have made sponsorship opportunities much more difficult.

Bitter news for Ukrainian content creators

With the loss of Parimatch, some streamers will lose most of their income. Parimatch hopes that President Zelensky will reconsider the decision. For many Ukrainian streamers and content creators, the closure of Parimatch has further disrupted their lives. Partnerships with betting companies are one of the few sources of revenue left for content creators from Ukraine since the war.

The company stated: 

“We ask you to check the information that was falsified during the decision of the National Security and Defense Council and take appropriate actions regarding all unlawful violations by the Security Service of Ukraine.”

“We are ready for public discussion, ready to answer all questions from the media and law enforcement agencies, and are ready to defend our position in court.”

Esports and Ukraine are a weak field right now because of the ongoing war. The only organization that has managed to hold on is Natus Vincere, which is also known to have a fantastic CS:GO lineup that makes a lot of money. Meanwhile, for all other teams, line-ups, streamers, etc. it looks bleak.