The online casino “Cosmobet” received a positive assessment from the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) confirming the absence of ties to the aggressor state, according to a court ruling issued in April 2025. The decision indicates that the certificate was allegedly secured through a $20,000 bribe.
Earlier, the outlet Antikor reported that the company operating the casino and its nominal head, Mykhailo Zborovskyi, could have links to Russian interests. Law enforcement materials cited in the court ruling appear to support those suspicions.
According to the decision, an operative from the Kyiv regional department of the National Police’s Internal Security unit, acting through an intermediary who had contact with SSU officials, offered $20,000 in exchange for an official letter stating that LLC “Neurolink” and its ultimate beneficial owner had no connections to Russian citizens, Russian capital, or sanctioned entities. Investigators believe the officer acted in collusion with representatives of the company.
LLC “Neurolink” operates the Cosmobet platform. Until May 2025, its founder was Mykhailo Zborovskyi, a resident of the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Investigators allege that, beyond the initial $20,000 payment, the police officer and intermediary were to receive approximately $45,000 per month from Zborovskyi and Neurolink. In addition, once the SSU response was formally issued and the company’s activities continued without interference, the officer was allegedly to receive a percentage of the company’s monthly income and transfer part of it — around 100,000 to 200,000 UAH — to the intermediary. The payments were described as compensation for “resolving potential issues” concerning alleged links to the aggressor state.
The positive SSU response was reportedly issued in April 2025. During the transfer of the $20,000 payment, the police operative was detained, and the funds were seized as evidence. Investigators documented meetings between the suspects, their communications via messaging applications, and confiscated documents related to Cosmobet’s operations.
The case has raised questions about why the company’s management allegedly sought to secure confirmation of no Russian ties through illegal means. Formally, LLC “Neurolink” was established in November 2023 by Zborovskyi and another company, “Neoplay.” Cosmobet officially launched in June 2024.
Media reports have previously linked Zborovskyi to XGen Solutions LTD, a company mentioned in court materials concerning the sanctioned online casino Cosmolot, which has been associated in Ukrainian media with Russian businessman Sergey Tokarev. Reports have also claimed that Zborovskyi may have previously worked with Cosmolot.
Public records show that Zborovskyi was registered at a residential address in the Ivano-Frankivsk region owned by his father. Court registries also indicate that a person with the same name divorced in March 2024, and that the former spouse acquired an apartment in Kyiv that same month under a gift agreement.
The situation has drawn comparisons with the high-profile case of the online casino “PIN-UP.” Earlier this year, the State Bureau of Investigations detained the nominal owner of PIN-UP on suspicion of laundering Russian funds. Investigators stated that the declared owner lacked legitimate sources for contributing 30 million UAH to the company’s charter capital. Authorities alleged that the real beneficiaries were Russian nationals and that the casino had financed the aggressor state.
In July 2025, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered the confiscation of 2.6 billion UAH from the company operating under the PIN-UP brand.
Observers note similarities between the two cases, including the 30 million UAH charter capital and questions surrounding ownership structures. In May 2025, Zborovskyi was removed as founder of Neurolink and replaced by a Cypriot national, Andriy Dobrovolskyi.
According to investigative authorities, representatives of PIN-UP had previously held meetings in Cyprus with Russian counterparts — the same country where the new formal owner of Cosmobet resides.
While Zborovskyi is no longer listed among the founders, the alleged bribery attempt occurred during the period when he managed the company, raising the possibility that investigators may continue examining his role in the case.