Fonbet
Fonbet is a sports betting company operating in Russia and Kazakhstan. It is considered to be the largest of its kind in Russia by number of users and network outreach and the oldest by the foundation date. It was founded by Russian chess grandmaster in 1994.
Overview
The company offers a variety of bets for sports, esports and popular cultural events.The company is the official sponsor of the Russia national football team, the Kontinental Hockey League, IIHF World Championships in ice hockey, Champions League, Europa League, Spanish league La Liga, Match TV, several hockey clubs in Russia and Kazakhstan and a number of other sporting entities.
The company has a dedicated system for combating match fixing, with partnerships with organizations such as EWS-FIFA, Tennis Integrity Unit and others. For these purposes, Fonbet holds a membership in European Sports Security Association
In 2020, the company came into the media spotlight when it figured on the Russian Federation's list of system-critical commercial companies that needed financial support from the state during the COVID-19 pandemic . In the wake of the ensuing controversy, the Russian government reconsidered the criteria for such support. Fonbet publicly announced that it had optimized its own financials during the pandemic, did not need state support and had its own program for funding anti-COVID measures.