Russian lawmakers have moved to drastically accelerate the enforcement actions against unlicensed gambling websites. In a session this week, the State Duma passed the first reading of a bill that would reduce the time required to block an illegal online casino from five days to just 48 hours, giving regulators a significant edge in the ongoing “digital arms race” against offshore operators.
Streamlining the Blacklist Process
Currently, the blocking process is hindered by bureaucratic friction between the Unified Gambling Regulator and the Federal Tax Service. Under the proposed law, the notification and verification cycle would be streamlined to allow for near-instantaneous additions to the national blacklist.
Deputies emphasized that a high percentage of these unauthorized sites are operated from jurisdictions deemed “unfriendly” to the Russian Federation, adding a layer of geopolitical urgency to the legislation.
Sergei Altukhov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on Economic Policy, clarified the collaborative nature of the effort:
“We hope to finalize the draft law ahead of a second reading. We are working with the Ministry of Finance and other agencies on this. officials are exploring faster ways to block online casinos… many of these sites are operated from countries considered unfriendly to Russia.”
Expert Skepticism on Youth Access
While the legislative push has been welcomed by legal experts, some warn that technical speed alone may not be a silver bullet. Lawyer Stalina Gurevich noted that younger users are increasingly adept at utilizing VPNs and other circumvention tools to bypass government filters.
“Given the current rate at which gambling websites are appearing, significantly reducing the time it takes to block them is essential. [However] I’m not sure this will significantly reduce the number of online casino visitors, especially among young people. They often know how to access blacklisted sites online. These proposals need to be improved.”
For now, the Ministry of Finance continues to explore the alternative of lifting the ban and taxing operators, but the Duma’s immediate focus remains on tightening the technological noose around illegal offshore platforms.
