Maxim Kiryukhin is the chairman of the board of Fonbet, one of Russia’s oldest and largest licensed bookmakers, founded in 1994. Following the death of founder Anatoly Machulsky in 2017, Kiryukhin briefly acquired a controlling interest in the company before reducing his stake to 9% by 2018. In his role as chairman, he has overseen the operator’s response to regulatory changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Fonbet’s network of over 1,000 physical betting shops was temporarily shut down.
In a notable 2020 interview, Kiryukhin stated that approximately 40% of customers who previously bet only in retail shops did not place any wagers during the closures, and he expressed the company’s intention to maintain its physical betting-shop business alongside online growth. His tenure has been marked by efforts to balance retail tradition with digital transformation under shifting Russian gambling legislation.
Career History
| Company | Role | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fonbet Partners | Chairman | – present |
| Fonbet | Chairman of the Board | – present |