New Measures Against Illegal Online Gambling in Russia

A new bill, proposed by the Ministry of Finance, would fight illegal online gambling in Russia by compelling banks to block deposits and withdrawals at casino operators.

Today, the Russian Government is discussing a bill that would create a blacklist of companies and citizens illegally gambling. The list would be shared with banks, so they can block any payments between the operator and player. According to Russian gambling news, over €2,8 billion is staked illegally at online casinos, every year. As of now, Russian gambling laws allow only for a few domestic online sportsbetting sites but not for casino-style gambling.

In January, the Ministry of Finance has raised Russian gambling tax rates:

• Table games from RUB 50,000 to RUB 250,000
• Video slots from RUB 3,000 to RUB 15,000
• Betting shops from RUB 10,000 to RUB 14,000