Gaming billionaire Dmitry Bukhman and his wife, Daria Bukhman, have become the new sponsors of the International Booker Prize. Through Bukhman Philanthropies, the couple will commit £1.4 million annually over the next decade, securing long-term support for one of the world’s most prestigious awards for translated fiction.
The partnership will see the award renamed the Bukhman International Booker Prize. Under the agreement, the winner’s purse will double from £50,000 to £100,000, continuing to be shared equally between the winning author and translator. The expanded funding also offers long-term stability for the prize as arts and cultural organizations continue to face financial pressures.
Beyond securing the prize money, the investment is expected to bolsterthe translation sector, which is navigating rising costs alongside the opportunities and challenges created by artificial intelligence.
Booker Prize Foundation chief executive Gaby Wood welcomed the partnership, saying it “has the power to reshape not only the future of the prize, but the landscape of literature itself, elevating writers and translators whose stories connect us more deeply to one another across cultures, borders and experiences.”
Daria Bukhman described the initiative as a deeply personal commitment, recalling that translated fiction was her “window on to the world” while growing up in provincial Russia. She said supporting the prize was also an opportunity to help strengthen the global translation ecosystem.
Founded in 2004 by brothers Dmitry and Igor Bukhman, Playrix has grown into one of the world’s largest mobile gaming companies, with hit titles including Gardenscapes, Homescapes, Township and Fishdom. According to Bloomberg, the Dublin-headquartered company generated $2.6 billion in revenue in 2024 after emerging as one of the gaming industry’s biggest beneficiaries during the pandemic.
The announcement also reflects growing demand for translated literature. Booker Prize Foundation research found UK sales of translated fiction have risen 31% over the past decade, while this year’s International Booker winner, Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King, saw its sales more than triple following its victory.
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