Russian Poker Player Wins a Seat at Moscow District Municipal Council

Playing online poker can get you far as the recent Russian gambling news. A 27-year-old well-known online poker pro, Max Katz, was elected to the municipal council of a Moscow district Shchukino.

Sources claim that his campaign was fully funded from his own online poker winnings. Katz was an independent candidate and explained his decision to go into politics by widespread public demonstrations in favor of free and fair elections, after accusations that recent Russian Parliamentary elections were rigged.

The up-and-coming poker ace has more lots on his agenda including a change to Russian gambling laws that would allow unrestricted online gambling in the country. He was quoted to say: “I want to become mayor in a small Russian town when I am 35, and test my urban development plans.”

He had a rather different approach to his election campaign: “Everyone told me I should make the same promises other politicians were making, that I would vow to punish corrupt politicians, reduce the costs of gas and water, and so on, but I chose to be honest.”

Taking a look at his campaign flyers we could see: “My name is Max Katz. I am 27 years old. The election for the Shchukino municipal council is being held on March 4. This body is completely useless. It possesses no power whatsoever.”

The district of Shchukino is known among Muscovites as a wealthy, middle-class neighborhood, populated by successful young people, who among others want to be able to freely play at online casinos in Russia.

The district had 16 candidates for the elections, and Katz managed to secure the third-highest number of votes, which granted him a seat in the municipal council next to four other members.

Why can’t Phil Ivey run for President and finally solve the never-ending saga of “American online gambling.”