Russia Considers Lifting Online Casino Ban

Russian officials are weighing a proposal that could reverse a long-standing prohibition on online gambling, after the country’s finance minister reportedly urged President Vladimir Putin to legalize iGaming. The plan, if adopted, would mark a major shift in Russia’s gambling policy and could generate significant new revenue for the federal budget amid mounting fiscal pressure.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has asked the president to lift the ban on online casinos, which has been in place since 2009. According to a report by Russian newspaper Kommersant, Siluanov’s proposal centers on the creation of a single state-authorized operator. Under the plan, that operator would transfer “at least 30% of revenue after winnings” to the government each month. The Finance Ministry estimates the model could add roughly 100 billion roubles, or about $1.3 billion, annually to state finances.

Supporters of the proposal have presented it as a way to reduce illegal gambling activity while improving oversight of player protection. Advocates argue that a regulated system could limit the reach of unlicensed operators and introduce safeguards intended to reduce gambling-related harm, including measures linked to addiction risk.

Critics have questioned the timing and intent behind the initiative, suggesting it is tied to the financial strain of the war in Ukraine, which is set to enter its fourth year in February. According to RBC Ukraine, the conflict has already cost the Russian government more than 42 trillion roubles, described as “equivalent to 24 annual federal budgets for higher education in Russia or 22 annual healthcare budgets”. Beyond financial strain, the human toll has also been severe. A recent study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that military casualties on both sides could reach 2 million by spring.

Skeptics say legalising online gambling could shift financial risk onto vulnerable groups. Some critics warn that expanded access to gambling products may disproportionately affect people with limited financial resilience, including older citizens and those on low incomes.

Vasily Riy, executive director of the Association for the Protection of the Rights of Gambling and Lottery Participants, raised concerns about relying on legalisation as a primary solution. “Legalisation … is one of the tools to counteract the illegal market, but not the only one,” Riy said. “Legalisation in many countries in various forms shows that, in the absence of proper state control, the effect can be the opposite.”

At present, Russia allows land-based casinos to operate only within designated gambling zones. These include areas such as Primorye Krai near Vladivostok, where venues like Tigre de Cristal and Shambala are located. The Finance Ministry values the legal land-based casino sector at about 1.7 trillion roubles per year.

Online gambling, however, remains prohibited nationwide. Despite the ban, authorities acknowledge the presence of a large underground market. The Moscow Times has reported that illegal online gambling in Russia generates around 3 trillion roubles in annual turnover, “with roughly 100 illicit platforms in operation”. Proponents of reform argue that this scale of unregulated activity highlights the limits of enforcement under the current framework.

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Alongside domestic debate, concerns have emerged over how any legalisation might extend beyond Russia’s internationally recognised borders. According to the National Resistance Centre, which operates under Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, Russia may seek to introduce online casinos in temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine as “a tool of war financing”.

The group claims the approach would depend on “the forced participation of the population”. In its assessment, the NRC described potential legalisation in these areas as another case of “exploitation of the occupied territories”, arguing it would compel Ukrainian civilians to “maintain the occupation regime under the direct control of the Kremlin”.

The Kremlin has not publicly responded to these claims, and no formal decision on the legalisation proposal has been announced. Any move to permit online gambling would require significant legislative change and the establishment of regulatory oversight mechanisms. As debate continues, the proposal has exposed sharp divisions over fiscal policy, social risk, and the broader implications of reshaping Russia’s gambling laws.

Source:

“Russian Finance Ministry asks Putin to legalise iGaming“, igamingbusiness.com, January 29, 2026