Gaming Industry for Ukraine Hits Goal, Extends Deadline

Over the past weeks, Gaming Industry for Ukraine, a charitable campaign hosted by various gambling industry stakeholders, has been able to exceed its original target of £250,000 ($333,000) earmarked for humanitarian and relief efforts in war-torn Ukraine. Still, the organizers are going and calling on benefactors to contribute and raise more funds.

Deadline for Gaming Industry for Ukraine Extended

Thanks to the interest in the campaign, the organizers have extended the deadline of the GoFundMe until April, which should allow the industry to send more. All proceeds will be then forwarded to Choose Love, which has been carefully kicked for the organization’s ability to quickly deliver on a range of donations to those who need it.

There have been a number of benefactors in the campaign, including Games Global, Microgaming, Funfair Games, FSB, Spribe, SBC, Clarion, Better Collective, and numerous others. Independently, other gambling companies have exceeded that objective severalfold.

Stake.com, a crypto sports and gaming platform, has allocated $1 million in Bitcoin, adding to the $100 million Ukraine has received in the form of crypto donations since the start of the war. Another $3 million has been donated by Parimatch, a Cyprus-based company originally founded in Kyiv in 1994.

Better Collective head of strategic events Shonna ODonnell welcomed the outpouring of donations that have come from the gambling community and added that it was overwhelming to see this level of support on a company and personal level.

Distributing the Funds to Those Who Need It

Choose Love has had complete freedom in determining where the money goes, but the campaign has focused on ensuring that the funds may only get to those who need it most through Caritas Ukraine, with $175,000 distributed for the needs of truck and fuel vehicles.

Another $30,000 has been donated to LGBT+ Ukrainians, and another $50,000 has gone to medical supplies, along with another $30,000 for more transport supplies.

SBC CEO and founder Rasmus Sojmark said that he was pleased with the results and admitted that he didn’t expect this level of support to begin with. The gambling industry, it seems, has bucked expectations, and come together to offer its help to an important cause. Many gambling industry specialists have possibly been helping independent, too.

Parimatch and Stake.com have made the biggest donations known publicly, but there are others supporting from the sideline. Kindred Group has offered talented employees a quick relocation package to Sweden.