When the war hit Ukraine, PokerMatch was the first brand in the industry to bar players from Russia from its platform, writes CEO Ruslan Bangert.
When the war hit Ukraine, PokerMatch was the first brand in the industry to bar players from Russia from its platform, writes CEO Ruslan Bangert.
Before the war, the company was already successfully implementing a plan to reach complete independence from this market, but in February it cut all ties to this market. A lot of advertising contracts were terminated as well.
It’s no surprise that the war had a significant impact on the volume of the game and the brand’s marketing activities. The company focused on other tasks first and foremost, namely employees’ safety, protection of players’ money, charity and social projects.
But already by April, players naturally began to return to the game more often, and according to data at the end of April, PokerMatch has almost completely returned to its pre-war volumes of the game. But with one important note: without players from Russia, whose accounts remain blocked. So the company didn’t just simply come back but has actually grown a bit.
And it was only possible because many Ukrainians abandoned the game on other platforms and returned to the place where honour and integrity have always been above everything else. And when someone tells you that you cannot survive without Russia’s money, the entire civilised world has to respond “Yes you can”. And that’s the way it will be.
PokerMatch has a great strategic plan for the company’s development for the next few years. The brand targets three important foreign markets where it intends to make its presence known. An agreement that will change everything is also coming.
As one of the company’s executives rightfully said, it is a shame that the “purification ceremony” came at such a cost, but now we know exactly what we have to do next. Namely, implement charity and social projects, slowly return the promotions that will help players to earn a little more. Support and sponsor the national team in their trip to North Macedonia, and believe in Ukrainians with all your heart!