How Igor Cherkaskyi managed to hold his post for so long

It is hard to find a figure among Ukraine's state top managers who has held their position longer than Igor Cherkaskyi. He sat in the chair for more than 10 years.

The former head of the State Financial Monitoring Service was remembered for many high-profile decisions, one of which was the blocking of assets of the companies Cosmolot, Pin-Up and Vbet. At first glance, these actions might have indicated his principled stance towards the gambling business. But reality looks much more complicated.

Why did lotteries remain out of sight?

If Cherkaskyi had really been fighting illegal schemes in the gambling business, he would surely have paid attention to Ukrainian lotteries. Companies such as M.S.L., closely linked to the well-known official Danylo Hettmanets, have been earning millions on dubious bets and slots for years. Moreover, their activities often violated the law.

However, the State Financial Monitoring Service under Cherkaskyi's leadership, instead of fulfilling its direct duties of monitoring and identifying such violations, focused on individual market players, leaving the lottery sector virtually unattended.

Selective approach to monitoring

Cherkaskyi's approach raises many questions. Why did he limit his actions to specific companies such as Cosmolot or Pin-Up, while major lottery operators working in semi-transparent schemes remained unpunished? 

Perhaps the matter is that these structures were too closely linked to high-ranking officials who had their own interests in the lottery business.

Hopes for change

Cherkaskyi's departure from the post opens the door for changes. The new head of the State Financial Monitoring Service has a chance to conduct a full audit of the lottery market, eliminate corrupt schemes and force companies to actually contribute to the state budget.

Ukraine needs fair rules of the game. Only with transparent regulation can the gambling business become not a source of personal gain for individual officials, but an important element of the economy that benefits all citizens.