Russia is moving to tighten its grip on illegal online gambling after the country’s upper house of parliament approved legislation that would dramatically speed up the process of blocking unauthorised casino websites.
The Federation Council has backed a bill that would cut the time required to issue website-blocking orders from five days to just two days. The legislation has already passed the State Duma and now awaits President Vladimir Putin’s signature before becoming law.
Supporters of the measure say the current system is too slow to keep up with the pace at which illegal operators launch new websites and attract Russian players. Under the existing process, authorities must first identify an illegal gambling website before submitting a report to the Federal Tax Service (FTS).
The FTS then requests that the site be added to Russia’s register of prohibited online resources, which is maintained by communications watchdog Roskomnadzor. Once the register is updated, internet service providers are instructed to block access.
Eliminating multiple steps
The lawmakers argue that the multiple administrative steps create delays, allowing operators to continue accepting players long after authorities have identified them. And so, the measures have been passed with a view that the streamlined system will make enforcement more effective and help regulators respond more quickly to newly discovered gambling platforms.
Russia has maintained strict restrictions on online casinos for years. Broad measures targeting online gambling were introduced in 2006, while a Supreme Court ruling in 2012 required internet providers to block access to illegal and offshore gambling websites.
Authorities say one of the biggest challenges is that offshore operators can quickly reappear after being blocked. Many launch replacement websites or redirect users to new domains, making it difficult for regulators to keep them offline for long. Authorities have repeatedly admitted that the current laws has failed to tackle the market’s scale.
Allowing just limited operators
The latest crackdown comes as Russia continues debating a very different approach to online gambling. The Ministry of Finance has separately proposed allowing a limited number of licenced online casinos to operate legally under state supervision. Under the proposal, operators would need to obtain official licences and pay a 30 percent tax on annual profits, excluding player payouts.
Officials reportedly believe the plan could generate around 100 billion rubles ($1.2 billion) in annual tax revenue. The proposal is being discussed at a time when Russia is seeking additional sources of government revenue amid the ongoing Ukraine war.
Supporters of legalisation argue that the current ban has failed to eliminate online gambling and has instead pushed players toward offshore platforms beyond the reach of Russian regulators. They believe a regulated market could improve consumer protection, increase oversight and keep gambling revenue within the domestic economy.
However, the idea remains highly controversial. Senior figures within the Russian Orthodox Church have publicly opposed the proposal, warning that wider access to online casinos could worsen gambling addiction and undermine traditional social values. Questions have also been raised about enforcement, including whether a proposed minimum gambling age of 21 could be effectively monitored.
For now, Russia appears to be pursuing two parallel strategies. While lawmakers move to accelerate the blocking of illegal gambling websites, officials continue to debate whether a tightly regulated online casino market can replace the country’s long-standing prohibition model.
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