Anna Alkhimova, a social media influencer from Ukraine, has successfully appealed against the state gambling regulator PlayCity, which had accused her of illegally advertising online casinos. In a statement last year, PlayCity and the Ministry of Digital Affairs claimed to have evidence that Alkhimova, also known as Anna Alkhim, had promoted gambling platforms through her Instagram stories. Ukrainian law explicitly prohibits residents from advertising gambling and casino services. As a result, the regulator imposed a hefty UAH 4.8 million ($107,000) fine on her in December. Alkhimova contested this allegation, asserting that she had not breached any laws, and filed an appeal at the District Administrative Court in her hometown of Dnipro. Recently, the Telegram channel Sudom Po Shemam reported that the court sided with Alkhimova, deeming the fine illegal and subsequently overturning it. The judge not only annulled the fine but also mandated that PlayCity reimburse Alkhimova over $370 in legal fees. While PlayCity can appeal the ruling, it has not yet announced whether it will do so.
New allegations have emerged in recent days, with media accusing Alkhimova of endorsing a cryptocurrency project labeled as a scam by several Ukrainian outlets. The media outlet Rozsliduvach shared a video and screenshots purportedly from Alkhimova’s Telegram channel, where she allegedly asked followers if they were interested in investing. Additionally, it appeared she provided a link to the Telegram channel of the project, Graph Dex. In an accompanying video, Alkhimova stated that Graph Dex featured a 'very strong team' and encouraged followers to reach out if they wanted to 'earn money.' However, a search on June 25 by CasinoBeats did not yield any findings of such material on her official Telegram channel.
Ukrainian media reports indicated that Graph Dex has reportedly exploited images from major global crypto conferences, like TOKEN2049, to create an illusion of credibility. Rozsliduvach noted that this operation follows a typical pattern associated with cryptocurrency fraud, wherein investors are enticed with the promise of quick profits only to face difficulties when attempting to withdraw funds, often met with demands for 'commission fees' and 'taxes,' ultimately resulting in financial loss, as explained by editor Anton Babich.
Alkhimova faced scrutiny last year as she denied allegations concerning pro-Russian affiliations. Criticism has also been directed her way for allegedly using the Russian language more often than Ukrainian and for admitting a penchant for Russian pop music. She currently has 281,000 followers on Instagram and over 162,000 subscribers on Telegram. Earlier this year, the Australian media authority cautioned influencers about promoting illegal gambling, noting that those who facilitate illegal gambling could incur fines reaching up to $1.68 million. This warning referenced the case of influencer Dinah, who encouraged her followers to gamble in a reel by questioning why they should pay rent. Thai influencer 'Beer' Anusorn Pothong has also publicly warned his followers to avoid gambling platforms, citing his own struggles with addiction and resultant debt.
