Is Russia set to legalise online casino?
Summary
Reports indicate Russia may move to legalise online casino activity after Finance Minister Anton Siluanov proposed ending the current ban to President Vladimir Putin. The Finance Ministry suggests a 30% tax on operators, with expected annual state revenues of over 100bn roubles. Regulation would be overseen by the Unified Regulator of Gambling (URAG) and online operator transactions routed through the Unified Centre for Accounting of Betting Transfers, mirroring current requirements for bookmakers.
At present, land-based casinos operate in special gambling zones and bookmakers provide retail and online sports betting. The ministry values a regulated gambling sector at about 1.7trn roubles annually, while the illegal online casino market is estimated at over 3trn roubles despite enforcement efforts. Proposed regulation would include player-protection tools and a minimum player age of 21.
Key Points
- Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has reportedly proposed legalising online casinos in Russia to President Putin.
- A proposed operator tax rate of 30% could generate more than 100bn roubles for the state annually.
- Regulation would be handled by the Unified Regulator of Gambling (URAG) with transactions passing through the Unified Centre for Accounting of Betting Transfers.
- Russia’s current black-market online casino sector is estimated at over 3trn roubles per year, significantly larger than the regulated market.
- Authorities have been targeting illegal sites and crypto payment channels to curb the black market.
- New rules would likely require age verification (minimum age 21) and measures to prevent gambling addiction.
- If legalised, the market offers major opportunity for operators given Russia’s population (~146 million).
Why should I read this?
Want the short version? If Moscow goes ahead, this is big money and a major policy U-turn. It could reshape where operators place bets, alter tax dynamics across Europe, and finally try to drag huge black‑market activity into a regulated system. Read on if you care about market openings, regulatory risk or where the next big iGaming opportunities might be.
Context and relevance
The story matters because legalisation would transform a sizeable informal market into a taxable, regulated sector — with immediate fiscal appeal for a state under financial pressure. For operators and suppliers it signals a potential new market of national scale, but one with heavy taxes and strict oversight. For regulators and consumer‑protection advocates, the proposals’ inclusion of addiction‑prevention tools and a higher minimum playing age indicates a regulatory focus on harm reduction as part of market opening.
Author style
Punchy: this isn’t a minor tweak — it’s a potential market overhaul. If enacted, operators and policymakers should sit up and take notice.
Source
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/regions/europe/russia-online-casino-transformation/