Proposed Russian Online Gambling Fines

Legislators of Russia’s central region prepared a bill that would introduce fines for online casino players.

From 2018, users of online casino sites in Russia would be fined for USD 150-300. According to Russian gambling news, the country’s lawmakers have drafted a bill to introduce fines for online gamblers. Deputy Chairman of the State Council, Rafil Nugamanov, said that it’s impossible to fight illegal online gambling in Russia if there are no sanctions for using them. The bill also proposes fines between USD 75-100 for parents and guardians who allow underage citizen to play at internet casinos.

Strict Russian online gambling legislations

The existing Russian gambling laws prohibit almost all forms of gambling in the country. Authorities can block access to any site that offers online gambling for Russians. What’s more, the rights and freedoms of gambling addicts in Russia can be legally restricted. If a Russian citizen is addicted to gambling, alcohol, or drugs, they can be put under guardianship. In such cases, the legal guardians dispense the addicts’ income.

“We are actively fighting online casinos and other websites that violate Russian laws,” said Kirill Grinchenko of the Media Guards project. According to Grinchenko, 30 percent of gambling related complaints are about online gambling sites. “Access to these sites is usually blocked straight away,” he confirmed. Grinchenko believes that it would be redundant to introduce further legislations.