Since the war in Ukraine started, the gambling industry has done a lot to help the victims fleeing the country and those staying behind. Several funding campaigns have rallied industry stakeholders to pitch together and offer relief funds.
In the meantime, privately, companies have been pouring additional money to help with the humanitarian effort, as many iGaming businesses today are based or have an operational stake in Ukraine. Parimatch has donated over $2 million to the relief effort and continues to do so.
The latest donation however comes from Française des Jeux (FDJ), the French national lottery operator. The FDJ is now donating €200,000 to the French Red Cross which will go to the Ukrainian and international branches of the organization and serve to cover urgent humanitarian needs, such as water, basic necessities, medical supplies, and more.
The donation is aimed to help people still in Ukraine, but also refugees who are currently residing in bordering countries, escaping war. This donation will also help Red Cross Partner organizations that are committed to tackling the plight of the war and the humanitarian toll it has taken on millions of people fleeing.
Meanwhile, FDJ’s sports betting arms, Parions Sport en Ligne and Parions Sport en Point de Vente, no longer offer or accept betting options on Russian and Belarussian games and markets. The decision was taken on February 26, shortly after the invasion began, and has not been lifted ever since.
Previously, the Gambling Industry for Ukraine has raised more than £250,000 in a bid to help people in the country. Several companies announced that they are relocating their employees and offer packages to make the transition easier. Evoplay and Aristocrat Leisure were among the first companies to do so in seeking to secure the well-being of their employees.
The war has already cost lives in the gambling industry, with Parimatch losing a colleague earlier this year.
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