Displaying online poker sites that accept players from Russia. To change country go to Country selector or to see all sites in our database visit Online Poker Directory.

Online Poker in Russia

Similarly to other forms of gambling, poker was strictly forbidden in the USSR. Unsurprisingly, then, after the fall of the regime, gambling’s popularity grew rapidly. In fact, Russians are among the nationalities in the world that play more poker. In 2009, however, a new law prohibited all gambling activities apart from four special areas: Kaliningrad Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, Altai Krai, and Primorsky Krai. And 3 years before, a law that included online poker sites had been enforced, banning them. 

Is online poker legal in Russia? No.
Are poker sites in Russia trustworthy? Yes.
Can I deposit via Qiwi/PayPal/Skrill?  Yes.
Do online poker sites accept RUB? Yes. 

Online Poker Laws in Russia

The Federal Law of 29 December 29, 2006 of N 244-FZ - that prohibited online gambling - was not specific if poker could or not be conducted on digital platforms. Actually, many voices have tried to spare poker from the ban, as they argue that the game should be treated as one of skill, rather than chance. 

Therefore, and due to the loose regulations concerning poker, the game was easily accessible until 2012. But in that same year, as online poker news sites report, prosecutors of Pskov Oblast appealed to the Supreme Court, which resulted in the consent that Internet Service Providers are not allowed to accept players in online gambling sites.

Additionally, an amendment to the Federal Law from 2017 has also forbidden the payments by card to foreign gambling operators. But despite the strict regulations, Russians are still able to access some websites and play with people from all around the world. This is mainly due to the fact that authorities are mostly after gambling operators, rather than players. 

Online Poker Payment Methods in Russia

As operators are willing to keep competing in the market, while protecting players, every money transaction is transparent and legitimate. In this way, the credit and debit cards offered by VISA and MasterCard are commonly available. But there are alternatives that are as efficient, such as Qiwi, Skrill, Neteller or PayPal. More information is available on the online poker reviews directory. 

Online Poker Sites Accepting RUB

Even though the legislation poses restrictions, Russia is one of the biggest markets. This is why operators are still running online poker sites accepting RUB, which allows players to be exempt from conversion fees and to control better their spendings.