Corruption in KRAIL: How the scheme for profiting from the gaming business works

Problems for KRAIL member Yevhen Yakhniy seem to be only just beginning. As it turns out, he and his circle are deeply involved in schemes that have turned the legalisation of the gaming business in Ukraine from a transparent initiative into a tool for corruption and money laundering.

What lies behind Yakhniy's income?

A careful examination of Yevhen Yakhniy's declaration and payments to his wife, sole proprietor Liliya Yakhniy, reveals a connection with the company "X Pay Group". This firm acts as a payment technology operator and previously belonged to Yakhniy himself, who officially left the ownership structure before his appointment to KRAIL. However, in fact, sources claim, he continues to control it.

The key role of "X Pay Group"
In the acquiring market (accepting cashless payments) for online casinos in Ukraine, two banks dominate: the state-owned Sens Bank and the private MTB Bank. However, MTB Bank lacks its own processing, and this is where "X Pay Group" enters the scene.

The company provides payment processing, earning commissions for this. Moreover, "X Pay" plays the role of a link: connecting a casino or financial company to MTB is impossible without integration with their services. If an operator has not reached an agreement with Yakhniy, the connection process can turn into bureaucratic red tape.

How is the money distributed?

The payment mechanics look as follows:

1. The casino pays a commission to Maksym Sygalov's "Diamond Pay" company (1.8-2.2%).
2. "Diamond Pay" keeps 0.3-0.5% for itself and passes the rest to MTB Bank.
3. MTB pays PUMB for processing (approximately 0.1%) and covers Visa/Master costs (0.9-1.2%).
4. MTB's profit is about 0.5%, of which 0.3% goes to "X Pay Group".

Thus, Yakhniy receives money both through "Diamond Pay", which controls 70% of the gaming market, and through "X Pay Group", which takes 0.3% from every bet.

Consequences for the market

This scheme is not just corruption or abuse of power, but a deliberate monopolisation of the gaming sector. Legal gaming business, which is usually perceived as transparent and regulated worldwide, has become toxic in Ukraine and linked to criminal structures.

What next?

At the political level, a decision has already been made to liquidate KRAIL and reboot the gaming business regulation system. However, the question remains open: how to create a new structure that does not repeat the mistakes of the past?

Scandals surrounding KRAIL, including Yakhniy's involvement, are becoming the subject of numerous investigations. The question is whether real accountability will follow the revelations.