Matt Bastock

PIN-UP Global has strongly denied allegations by the State Bureau of Investigation of inappropriate links to Russia.

The iGaming B2B solutions provider’s CEO and Owner, Marina Ilina, has conducted a lengthy interview with NEXT, seeking to clarify PIN-UP Ukraine’s business dealings, which are currently under investigation.

Investigation Freezes Accounts and Detains Owner

As a result of the investigation, PIN-UP Ukraine’s accounts have been frozen, and operations suspended indefinitely. The SBI has brought legal proceedings to investigate payments made between the Ukrainian entity and the global arm, a separate international entity headquartered in Cyprus. 

PIN-UP Global vehemently denies the charges, stating that the payment transactions were made under an inter-party software agreement with no links to the Russian state. 

The Ukrainian entity’s owner, Igor Zotko, has been detained by law enforcement. Ilina has said in a statement that there is no legal justification for his detention, stating: “So far, the prosecution has not been able to explain which specific facts support their charges and why the court chose such a preventative measure without considering softer alternatives, such as bail or house arrest.” 

She lamented the company’s treatment: “The accusations made, and methods used against Ukr Game Technology LLC seem to be a roughly staged campaign aimed to discredit and raid one of the major market operators, based on manipulations and legal absurdity.” 

The CEO described the claim that royalty payments from Ukraine to Cyprus are an alleged Russian connection as “absurd.” 

Ilina has suggested that the State Bureau of Investigation’s approach damages the country overall. She commented: ” Everything that is happening today is not about the law—it’s about politics, raiding, and the attempt of Igor Zotko’s competitors to destroy his business in Ukraine at any cost.” 

She described the SBI as a political tool rather than a law-enforcement agency, adding, “The approach they have chosen in this criminal proceeding sets a dangerous precedent for any entrepreneur cooperating with Ukrainian business.” 

Ilina predicts foreign investment into the country to be damaged, stating: “At any moment, the SBI can classify lawful business operations as ‘high treason’ and block accounts, meaning that no foreign investor in Ukraine can be sure of the future.” 

Late last month, the National Police of Ukraine raided a live casino studio and arrested 120 for facilitating illegal gambling. The unlawful gambling site was also alleged to have Russian connections.

Further, a Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries member was detained on suspicion of “supporting the activities of an online casino in Ukraine that had been involved in laundering Russian money.” Ivan Rudyi, the former head of the Commission, has also been detained and sanctioned for similar charges.

Written By

Matt Bastock

Matt is a casino and sports betting expert with over two decades’ writing and editing experience. He loves getting into the nitty gritty of how casinos and sportsbooks really operate in order to make solid recommendations based on real experiences. His favourite games are blackjack and poker, and he loves watching NFL and soccer in his spare time.

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Oksana, on September 24-26 PIN-UP will be one of the largest participants of SBC Summit. Tell us about your involvement.

We will be represented by a large delegation in Lisbon. At our stand, number C350, anyone can meet the team and learn more about PIN-UP. As always, we plan our booth to be visible, functional and easy to find for our partners. 

I think SBC Summit is an effective event where you can see market trends and meet potential candidates. In addition, there are separate zones for networking, where it will be possible to find representatives of our team in different areas of business. And these are tech, payments, affiliates, product, finance, marketing and many others. Therefore, our stand is an ideal place for organising meetings.

Are you talking about hiring people? The event will feature specialists from the HR Department – will it be possible to find out about open vacancies in the holding company? 

Absolutely!!! I can definitely say that this is a feature of PIN-UP, because we understand – to create the best product and be an industry leader, you need to hire the best. And trade shows like this are a great recruiting opportunity.

We are constantly hiring as the holding company is growing rapidly. Currently, we have more than 400 vacancies in various areas. For example, now, if we talk about hot vacancies, we are looking for Head of Igaming, COCS (chief of contact centre), Head of Poker, Head of Events, CFO and HRBP. By the way, over the last year our team has increased by 1,300 employees. 

What do you look for when selecting a team and what qualities should a candidate possess to work at PIN-UP? 

We are continuously looking for highly-qualified specialists who are able to apply their experience and knowledge to achieve our common goals. It is important for us that each new team member has not only technical competence, but is also ready for continuous development and training.

After all, our business is very dynamic and fast-growing. And it is important that all team members are able to adapt quickly, learn new tools and be flexible. 

Our ideal employee corresponds to a certain portrait based on the values of our holding. These are leadership, professionalism, results orientation, teamwork and open communication. It is not easy to gather such specialists together, but it is possible! 

We have a very cool and professional team: everyone is responsible for their own area of work, but we are definitely all moving in the same direction.  Once hired, we continue to invest in the development of our employees. There is internal and external training, opportunities for career growth and professional development. 

What kind of training does PIN-UP Holding offer? Can team members choose external education?

At PIN-UP, we are actively developing the Learning & Development Department. We create customised training courses for the needs of different business areas and functions of the holding company with their examples and cases, develop our own LMS (Learning Management System), and additionally, we purchase external training courses to meet the needs of specialists. 

For specialists whose work involves the active use of English, we offer specialised English courses, which we develop ourselves taking into account the specifics of their work. That is, the English course depends on what our specialists do and what vocabulary they need. 

We also actively develop a culture of knowledge sharing. We create professional communities, encourage PIN-UP specialists to share and exchange knowledge and expertise with colleagues.

How do you manage to retain specialists?

Oh, this is a separate, very large area of work. As I have already said, we are constantly growing, and our specialists are growing with us. Accordingly, PIN-UP is constantly offering opportunities to try themselves in new roles. 

Many of our specialists, who today occupy top positions in the holding, came to lower positions and grew within PIN-UP. We also have an atmosphere of openness at all stages – every member of the team can ask the C-Level any question they are interested in. This eliminates misunderstandings and gives everyone a clear understanding of where their area of responsibility begins and ends. 

We have very competitive salaries, an extended social package, and the possibility of relocation. All this contributes to attracting and retaining the best specialists. The opportunity to work with different geos, go on business trips, get additional training. Working with very strong and professional colleagues, the best in the market – this is what makes up our magnetism.

Sounds good. And how does the holding company help its specialists if they want to relocate?   

We try to react quickly to changes in the labour market and constantly integrate modern trends into the work of our holding company. And, of course, we have new positions, such as, for example, relocation managers, to support employees in the process of adaptation to a new country of residence. 

These managers help with official employment, obtaining working status, and solving various everyday issues in the new country, both for the employee and his/her family.

Do you use new technologies to recruit and retain talent?

Yes, of course. In today’s world, you can’t do without it. There is no hiding from AI any more. So we are actively introducing new technologies to improve the work of our holding company. 

We have created our own social network with elements of gamification, on the basis of which we have developed an LMS (which I have already mentioned) for training employees. Currently, we are creating an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for recruiting and a HRM (Human Resource Management) for People Partners working with their teams. 

Also in the works is an AI assistant that will answer questions from employees.  This will significantly speed up and improve the quality of answers, as well as offload our People Partners. 

By the way, if we talk not about new technologies, but think about interesting innovations instead, we launched the “Donate Vacation” project. Our employees, who do not always go on vacation, can take advantage of this initiative and donate days, and PIN-UP will convert them into money for Ukrainian and international funds, which will be chosen by the employee themselves.

What challenges do you see in retaining talent in today’s business world in the iGaming market, especially in the context of international companies?

In talent retention, we see several key challenges. Anything that can be automated should be automated so that employees are not doing routine work. Also, the role of managers is very important, as they need to assign tasks correctly and help employees accomplish them. And building a talent pool, especially for management positions, is critical. 

The advantage of PIN-UP is the availability of budgets for experimentation, which allows us to try new things and implement successful solutions. So, again, I invite you to visit our booth C350 at the SBC Summit in Lisbon, meet us, have a coffee and discuss everything.  

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Issue 32 of the magazine includes an in-depth feature about the future of the custodian of the William Hill and 888 brands, in which Widerström and Chief Strategy Officer Vaughan Lewis detail the difficult steps they are taking to get the business back on track after a troubled period.

While the decision to rename the plc evoke is perhaps the most eye-catching step, the company is also undergoing an extensive restructuring programme designed to combine the strengths of its two internationally-recognised brands, together with a revamp of the executive team.

Widerström remains keen to see further change though, telling SBC Leaders: “When we are looking ahead with our value creation plan – the new strategy – we are instigating a new way of operation, which is more data-driven and more integrated with intelligent automation. 

“Of course, then we are building a new culture as we go along. It is an ongoing process to make sure you have a fit for purpose, future-proofed culture and way of behaving in any living organisation in order to stay top in the industry.”

Elsewhere in the magazine, cover star Marina Ilina, the CEO of Pin-Up Global, shares her views on what lawmakers get wrong when creating regulated markets or updating regulatory regimes. 

“More often than not, states think that if businesses are tightened up with mandatory deductions, it will be good for the country,” Ilina says. 

“In reality, however, operators are very good at counting money. Licensed operators will not work in the countries where taxation, for example, mandates withholding winnings from the player, but does not regulate the grey market. Players themselves will not play in licensed products.”

Readers can also look forward to interviews with a number of other high-profile figures in the industry. Betfred’s incoming Chief Intelligence Officer Andrew Daniels discusses plans to use the operator’s all-new tech division to replicate its retail success on digital channels, while LiveScore Group’s General Counsel Rani Wynn examines whether marketing regulations are hampering the promotion of safer gambling practices. 

Bulgaria’s gambling regulator Alexander Popov explains his plan to tackle the black market, while PressEnter Group’s Head of Payments Sean Spiteri discusses technological developments in the payments space.  Amit Berkovich, evoke’s Head of Poker, calls for greater innovation to give the game a new lease of life, and Christoffer Andersson, Chief Operating Officer at 500 Casino explains why he believes the recent changes to Curaçao’s regulation will be a good thing.

There is also an in-depth look at the international furore about gambling advertising, a deep dive into the growing threat of AI-powered fraud, an evaluation of whether the sweepstakes model can successfully transfer from the US to international markets, and much, much more.

Click here to read the digital version of SBC Leaders Issue 32 or pick up a print copy at SBC Summit in Lisbon.

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The decision is taken: “Given the political, economic and reputational risks, PIN-UP Global will focus its business activities on the most favorable regulated markets for further expansion.”

PIN-UP has banned the use of, its trademark and software products in the countries: Aruba, Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Nicaragua, China, Kuwait, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Angola, Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Russia, Sudan, North Korea, Turkey, Albania, Papua New Guinea.

The decision was made taking into account legal restrictions as well as the Company’s Risk Management Policy, as noted by Marina Ilina, CEO of PIN-UP Global: “Compliance of products with responsible gaming principles, regulatory requirements and local partner regulations is critical to PIN-UP. Our goal is to follow a sustainable growth strategy to ensure the stability and development of our business”. 

PIN-UP Global will focus on business growth with a dedication to technologies, B2B solutions, investments as well as innovation in product development for iGaming.

The strategic plans also include restructuring processes, licensing the B2B business field and certifying its own products in the EU market. This will enable the company to strengthen its position on the international arena and investment-attractive regions by expanding partnership contracts with licensed gambling companies.

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The firm, which represents a set of businesses in various segments of the gaming industry, has formed the new venture formed in a bid to “stimulate the development of technologies and products for the gambling market”. 

In a statement confirming the development, the firm detailed that PIN-UP.INVESTMENTS invests in projects and products in gambling, traffic, software development, customer service, payment systems, advertising platforms, arbitrage teams, and artificial intelligence-based products.

Marina Ilina, CEO of PIN-UP Global, commented: “PIN-UP.INVESTMENTS is a logical step for our ecosystem, which always supports the passion and drive to succeed. Our new direction is aimed to help projects and teams both to develop independently and to successfully integrate into PIN-UP Global. We believe in daring solutions and new technologies that can be effective.” 

Furthermore, the group also announced that it will provide funding, training and consulting opportunities through in-house ecosystem experts, practice on PIN-UP product and business model testing, accelerated product growth and entry into new markets. 

CasinoBeats Breakdown: At a time when global expansion presents such a significant challenge for so many firms, the steps taken by PIN-UP Global in elevating support for firms can be a crucial asset. It’s a move that has been identified by the firm as an integral next step when it comes to fuelling technological growth for the igaming space. 

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CasinoBeats: For those among our audience who aren’t familiar with PIN-UP Global, can you provide an introduction to the ecosystem and an overall outline of what it does?

Marina Ilyina: PIN-UP Global is an international ecosystem of independent companies involved in the life cycle of various entertainment products. Imagine a network divided into different directions, each of which has its own unique profile. 

PIN-UP.TECH develops software for the igaming industry and provides infrastructure support for ecosystem companies. PIN-UP.BUSINESS is focused on outsourcing and efficient execution of business processes. PIN-UP.CRM builds a quality level of service and marketing for all clients of the ecosystem. 

PIN-UP.TRAFFIC provides products and services to customers on the international market with reliable payback traffic. PIN-UP.PLAY presents independent companies that have decided to work under the PIN-UP brand in their countries. PIN-UP.CARE works with non-profit organizations declaring the principles of social responsibility. 

PIN-UP.TEAM is focused on taking care of ecosystem specialists. All our areas have a common business goal – to achieve stable income, continuous development and efficient scaling of the ecosystem.

PIN-UP Global is represented in six countries of the world (Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Armenia, Peru). This year we plan to open offices in Brazil and India. Around 2,000 people work in our team.

CB: Where is PIN-UP Global currently active and which market segments does the ecosystem specialize in?

MI: PIN-UP Global has no boundaries, because the ecosystem’s activities cover the whole world. At the moment, our ecosystem includes several dozen companies that differ in areas: online and offline marketing, affiliate and SEO promotion, software development, fintech, customer service, operational direction, legal services, charitable foundation and many others.

In addition to that, we are always expanding our capabilities and welcome new partners who share our values and interests, as well as those, whose products or services are customer-oriented and of high quality.

CB: Your BOES ecosystem appears to offer a wide range of features and applications. Tell us more about how it works and how it benefits operators?

MI: In order to solve large operational problems, we have divided the ecosystem into seven segments and a large number of microservices. So, PIN-UP Global has a lot of different software that improves the quality of gambling products.

Accordingly, being part of the ecosystem, operators get access to all possible developments and services – starting from automation or big data to machine-learning, which allows our partners to avoid huge losses when entering new markets.

For example, I want to talk about our PIN-UP.TRAFFIC segment, which has automated tracking of all traffic entering the product, allowing each operator to monitor its quality and payback.

The tools our webmasters use are customisable, they see hourly detailed statistics with different possible analytics starting points and much more. Relying on the experience, expertise and opinion of our partners, I believe that cooperation with PIN-UP.TRAFFIC is the most effective of the many options on the market.

CB: What are the company’s main values and what sets it apart from its competitors? What makes it unique in the marketplace?

MI: PIN-UP is a team of highly motivated people who are ready to develop constantly together with the ecosystem. At PIN-UP Global, management is based on the values that are formulated by our C-level and are the basis for the processes and policies of the ecosystem.

They correct internal interaction, as well as give directions for improvement: Be the first to lead, Be an expert in your domain, Be a partner in teamwork, Be focused on the result, Be open and honest in communication.

The main thing for us is people. PIN-UP Global condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and actively helps the state in the struggle on the economic front. We started a charity fund PIN-UP Foundation. Its programs are aimed at helping Ukrainians and restoring the country.

CB: Looking forward to the rest of 2023, what plans do you have and are there any new developments that we can look forward to from PIN-UP Global?

MI: The plans for 2023 consist of a complete upgrade of platforms and customisation for the benefits of each client, by adding new products and expanding the geography of partnerships. Furthermore, we have unique developments (for example, anti-fraud tools) that will definitely be of a high interest to many operators.

We are working on improving the risk assessment of transactions: we will use not only conventional approaches, but also machine learning to achieve greater accuracy in preventing fraud at various points of contact with customers. There is no such product on the market yet. There are plans to offer it not only to customers of the ecosystem.

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Through this collaboration, 3 Oaks will supply the PIN-UP Global subsidiary with its complete catalogue of slot games, in addition to a range of proprietary marketing and promotional tools said to ‘deliver increased engagement and revenues.’

Sebastian Damian, Managing Director of 3 Oaks Gaming, stated: “This integration with PIN-UP is a fantastic start to 2023 as we look to grow even further across multiple markets worldwide.

“Here at 3 Oaks, there is no doubt that we are becoming more recognised in the industry for the quality of our offering, and this latest deal only strengthens our reputation.”

PIN-UP Ukraine’s players base will gain access to a number of 3 Oaks releases, including Sticky Piggy, Eggs of Gold and Rio Gems: Hold and Win. 

“For us to succeed as an operator, we need to offer the best slots to our players and with 3 Oaks, we have exactly the partnership to meet our bold ambitions,” added Igor Zotko, COO at PIN-UP.

“This will definitely be a hugely beneficial deal for both parties, and we look forward to fantastic success with 3 Oaks Gaming.”

With this agreement, 3 Oaks has kicked off its expansion efforts in the new year, following its most recent deal made with Curacao-licensed operator St8.io.

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