Online Casinos in Russia 2023

The gambling business sees fortunes amounting to billions of rubles per year in Russia. Not every entrepreneur can open a casino or betting site, given the difficulties with formalizing a business and the required amount of initial capital. At the same time, there are a lot of thematic advertisements on the Internet that offer to play entertaining games which can lead to promising winnings.

Therefore, the gaming business in Russia is a specific type of business, accompanied by increased attention and control from the state. In 2009, there was a wave of public outrage across the country related to gambling addiction among citizens, mostly under the age of 18.

Gambling is allowed for a Russian entrepreneur, but the specifics of state regulation and the presence of prohibitions in this area create difficulties both during opening and in subsequent periods.

There are at least two regulations that consider the procedure and principles for regulating the gambling business and entrepreneurship in this area:

• Federal Law No. 244 of December 29, 2006 – the normative act does not contain a direct definition of the term “gambling business”, but refers the activity to the concept of “gambling”;
• Art. 364 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation – defines the gambling business as a commercial activity for the establishment of gambling.

In general, gambling is an agreement between two participants, the subject of which is the probability of winning by the player in cases determined by the rules of the founder of the gambling business. Depending on the type of game, the parties are several players.

✅ Modern Gambling Business in Russia

Despite government restrictions, gambling is a regular occurrence in the Russian Federation. The demand for a gambling product is supported by the consumer, therefore, it gives rise to the development of the business line in question, which exists in several forms, most commonly:

• Casino – Non-residential premises with closed or missing windows, as well as equipped with gaming tables and machines.
• Bets through the bookmaker – Gambling business, the essence of which is to receive money in the form of a bet on a sports or gaming event with a prediction of the result. If the forecast coincides with the outcome of the event, then the player receives a win in the amount of the deposited bet, multiplied by the odds.

There are 5 regions in the Russian Federation where gambling is not classified as an illegal business and is legally permitted in compliance with the rules and requirements established by law. Created underground casinos in other regions of the Russian Federation are classified as illegal organizations and are subject to liquidation, and the founders are held liable under the current legislation. Casinos or offices that accept bets operate on the basis of a license, otherwise, they are also subject to closure.

✅ Gambling Business on the Internet in Russia

The obstacles created by the state in the organization of the gambling business have given rise to an alternative way to provide gaming services for real money in the Internet space. Opening a gambling business on the Internet is a profitable activity that allows you to earn real money by creating a virtual casino or bookmaker’s office.

The creators of online cinemas cooperate with online casinos, as evidenced by annoying advertising when watching a movie in Russia, so it makes no sense to voice popular services. Internet users daily come across banners, videos, and even clips of once-popular performers in narrow circles, offering to take risks and play slot machines or bet on sports games and events online.

Most of the territory of the Russian Federation is under a ban on gambling, but the legislation is not able to limit or control the appearance of casinos and bookmakers on the Internet. It is enough to register a domain and create a gaming site under the guise of a foreign company, having received a license in the legal field of Malta, Antigua or Baruda. At the same time, residents of the Russian Federation can freely play on such services.

The state wants to receive a tax on the gambling business, since we are talking about amounts in the millions of rubles, and the entrepreneur seeks to get away from the taxation system of the Russian Federation.

✅ Gambling Income

The gambling business in Russia is one of the top 100 profitable activities. Not a single owner of a bookmaker or casino voices statistics on monthly cash turnover, but it is no secret that we are talking about multi-million dollar amounts. The following factors influence profitability:

• Business scale – The minimum amount of income in a regular casino site is 2-3 million rubles per month;
• Type of gambling – Casinos, and bookmakers are equally in demand in the Russian Federation, but competition forces them to fight for customers in order to make a profit.

✅ Illegal Gambling Business in Russia

There is no need to even try to illegally set up a gambling business in Russia. Firstly, in any case, this will end with the liquidation of the enterprise and the withdrawal of funds. Secondly, for violating the law in the field of organizing a gambling business, the owner faces:

• a fine of half a million rubles;
• imprisonment – up to 5 years.

In 2018, hundreds of betting shops and casinos operated illegally on the territory of the Russian Federation, and of course, on a corrupt basis. It is easier to pay a fine or give a bribe than to spend tens of millions of rubles on official registration. There were illegal poker clubs where amateurs and professionals of the card game would have met. Tournaments were held annually, with a prize fund of tens of millions of rubles. Only members of the “club” could get into such illegal events.

But that was soon prevented by the state as illegal casino owners in Russia have incredibly high fines and years of imprisonment. Opening a casino or a bookmaker’s office is difficult, but real. This will require multi-million initial investments and legislative regulation of activities. Not a single casino works to the detriment and it is impossible to beat it. This means that every day thousands of Russian citizens lose their own money while spending it on risky pleasure.

In Russia, gambling addiction is on the same level as alcohol abuse and drug addiction. Of course, the income received overshadows the moral and ethical standards, but still this kind of activity contributes to the degradation of society. Gambling pushes people to rash and contrary to the law actions. Therefore interventions by the state were of the highest necessity.

The Internet simplifies the process of registering a business and creates difficulties for the state in terms of control and regulation. To play in such a casino, the client goes through the registration procedure and makes a deposit payment. Russian citizens who have experience of playing real slot machines are guided in the interface of familiar devices.