Fonbet
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Russian sports-betting company founded in 1994, with retail and online operations in Russia and Kazakhstan.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Fonbet is a Russian betting company focused primarily on sports wagering. Founded in 1994 by Russian chess grandmaster Anatoly Machulsky, it is described as one of the oldest bookmakers operating in Russia and is regarded as the country's largest sports-betting business by user base and retail reach. Its network has included more than 1,000 offices across Russia, alongside digital betting services. The company accepts wagers on a broad range of sporting events, including football, ice hockey, tennis and other widely followed competitions. Its betting offer also extends to esports and selected popular-culture events. Fonbet operates in Russia and Kazakhstan, serving customers through a combination of physical betting locations and online channels. The available reference material does not identify a current parent company, owner, public listing, ticker or official corporate website. Fonbet has built much of its public profile through sports partnerships. It has been identified as an official sponsor of the Russia national football team and the Kontinental Hockey League. Its other sponsorship and commercial relationships have included the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships from 2017, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, Spain's La Liga, Russia's Match TV sports channel, and hockey clubs in Russia and Kazakhstan. These relationships position Fonbet as a prominent commercial participant in the sports ecosystem rather than merely a retail wagering operator. Integrity and compliance have also been part of the company's public positioning. Fonbet has maintained a dedicated system intended to detect and combat match fixing and has worked with organizations and initiatives including FIFA's Early Warning System and the Tennis Integrity Unit. The company has also held membership in the European Sports Security Association, known as ESSA, in connection with sports-betting integrity activities. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fonbet appeared on a Russian government list of systemically important commercial companies considered for potential state support. The listing attracted public controversy because of the company's gambling-related business. The government subsequently reconsidered the criteria used for the support list. Fonbet stated that it had optimized its finances, did not require state assistance, and had established its own program to finance anti-COVID measures, alongside other charitable initiatives. Fonbet again came into public scrutiny in January 2025 when Moscow police detained former chief executive Sergey Anokhin over allegations that he offered a 50 million-ruble bribe to a law-enforcement officer. The available source identifies the detention and allegation but does not establish a final court outcome. The incident is therefore best treated as a reported legal controversy involving a former executive, rather than as a settled finding against the company itself.
History
Fonbet was established in Russia in 1994 by Anatoly Machulsky, a Russian chess grandmaster. From its early development, the company operated as a bookmaker offering wagers on sporting events. Over time, it expanded its presence through a large network of retail betting offices and digital services. Reference material describes it as the oldest Russian bookmaker by foundation date and as the country's largest by user numbers and network coverage, with more than 1,000 offices reported in Russia. The business broadened its wagering portfolio beyond traditional sports. Its services have covered football, ice hockey, tennis and other major sports, as well as esports and selected popular-culture events. Fonbet has operated in both Russia and Kazakhstan, using physical outlets and online channels to reach customers. Sports sponsorship became a central part of the brand's development. Fonbet has been associated with the Russia national football team, the Kontinental Hockey League, hockey competitions organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation, UEFA's Champions League and Europa League, Spain's La Liga and Match TV. It has also sponsored or partnered with several hockey clubs in Russia and Kazakhstan. These relationships have given the company visibility across both domestic Russian sport and internationally recognized competitions. Alongside commercial expansion, Fonbet developed a public sports-integrity position. The company has described a dedicated system for combating match fixing and has worked with integrity bodies and early-warning initiatives, including FIFA's Early Warning System and the Tennis Integrity Unit. It has also held membership in the European Sports Security Association, or ESSA. The company faced wider public attention in 2020 when the Russian government placed it on a list of systemically important companies that could receive financial support during the COVID-19 crisis. The decision was controversial because the list included a gambling operator. The government later reconsidered its criteria. Fonbet responded that it had optimized its financial position, did not need state assistance and had its own funding program for anti-pandemic measures, together with other charitable activity. In January 2025, former CEO Sergey Anokhin was detained by Moscow police over an allegation involving a 50 million-ruble bribe offered to a law-enforcement officer. The available reference does not provide a final judicial outcome. This episode is consequently part of Fonbet's recent public record but should not be presented as a final adjudication against the company.
- 2025
Former CEO detained in alleged bribery case
[1]Former chief executive Sergey Anokhin was detained in Moscow over an allegation involving a 50 million-ruble bribe.
- 2020
Pandemic support-list controversy
[1]Fonbet appeared on Russia's list of systemically important commercial companies considered for COVID-19 support, then said it did not need state assistance after the ensuing controversy.
- 2017
Association with IIHF World Championships begins
[1]Fonbet became an identified sponsor of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships from 2017.
- 1994
Fonbet founded
[1]Anatoly Machulsky founded Fonbet in Russia, establishing the bookmaker that would become one of the country's longest-running sports-betting brands.
Products and positioning
A large, established Russian bookmaker combining nationwide retail distribution, online wagering, extensive sports sponsorships and public sports-integrity initiatives.
Betting service · 1994
Sports betting
Fonbet's core offering is wagering on sports competitions. The portfolio includes major team and individual sports, with football, ice hockey and tennis among the publicly identified categories. Customers can access the service through retail bookmaker offices and online channels in the company's operating markets.
Betting service
Esports betting
The company offers bets on esports events in addition to conventional sporting competitions. The reference material confirms esports as part of Fonbet's product scope but does not specify particular game titles, leagues or markets.
Betting service
Popular-culture event betting
Fonbet's wagering range also includes selected events outside sport and esports, described in the reference material as popular-culture events. No detailed catalogue of eligible events is provided.
Retail betting service
Retail bookmaker network
Fonbet maintains a physical distribution model through betting offices in Russia. The company has been described as operating more than 1,000 offices, making retail reach a defining element of its Russian market presence.
Controversies
2025
Former CEO detained over alleged 50 million-ruble bribe
Moscow police detained former CEO Sergey Anokhin on an allegation that he offered a 50 million-ruble bribe to a law-enforcement officer. The available material does not report a final court decision.
2020
Controversy over inclusion on Russia's pandemic support list
Fonbet's inclusion on a government list of systemically important companies eligible for possible COVID-19 support attracted criticism because it was a gambling operator. The government subsequently reconsidered the criteria, while Fonbet said it did not need state support.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017IIHF World Championships sponsorship
International · Russia
Fonbet was identified as an official sponsor of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships from 2017, associating the brand with a major international ice-hockey competition.
- Football and hockey sports partnerships
Russia · Kazakhstan · International
Fonbet has sponsored or partnered with the Russia national football team, the Kontinental Hockey League, UEFA competitions, Spain's La Liga, Match TV and several hockey clubs in Russia and Kazakhstan.
Brand decisions
2020
Fonbet declined the need for pandemic state assistanceStrategyBackground
The company was placed on Russia's systemically important commercial-company list during the COVID-19 crisis, making it a potential candidate for state support.
Action taken
Fonbet stated that it had optimized its finances, did not require state support and would finance its own anti-COVID measures and charitable programs.
Aftermath
The government reconsidered the criteria for inclusion on the support list after public controversy. No financial outcome is provided in the source material.
Recent events
Reported
Fonbet becomes AC Milan's official betting partner in Russia and the CIS[2]
Fonbet became AC Milan's official sports betting partner in Russia and the CIS region. The partnership includes visibility during AC Milan home games in Serie A and on the club's website and app, as well as joint promotions and content.
Sources2 sources
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