Russia’s Upper House of Parliament has approved legislation that would accelerate the blocking of illegal online casino websites, as authorities seek to strengthen enforcement against offshore gambling operators.
The Federation Council has backed a Bill that would reduce the time required to issue website blocking orders from five days to two days. The measure has already passed the State Duma and now awaits President Vladimir Putin’s signature.
Supporters of the Bill argue that Russia’s current process is too slow to keep pace with illegal operators, which can launch new domains or redirect customers shortly after being blocked. Under the existing system, authorities identify an illegal gambling website before submitting a report to the Federal Tax Service. The tax authority then requests that the site be added to Russia’s register of prohibited online resources, maintained by communications watchdog Roskomnadzor. Internet service providers are then instructed to block access.
Lawmakers say these multiple administrative steps create delays that allow illegal operators to continue targeting Russian players after being identified.
Russia has maintained tight restrictions on online casino gambling for years. Broad online gambling controls were introduced in 2006, while a 2012 Supreme Court ruling required internet providers to block access to illegal and offshore gambling sites. The enforcement challenge has persisted because offshore operators can quickly reappear under replacement domains.
Russian authorities have repeatedly acknowledged that blocking measures have struggled to contain the scale of illegal online gambling.
This latest move comes as Russia also considers a separate proposal to permit a limited number of licensed online casinos under state supervision. The Ministry of Finance has reportedly proposed allowing approved operators to offer online casino games legally, subject to licensing and a 30% tax on annual profits excluding player payouts. Officials have suggested that a regulated online casino model could generate around RUB100bn (US$1.2bn) a year in tax revenue.
The proposal remains politically sensitive. Senior figures in the Russian Orthodox Church have opposed wider access to online casino gambling, warning that legalisation could increase gambling harm and undermine social values.
For now, Russia appears to be pursuing parallel approaches: faster blocking of illegal websites and continued debate over whether a tightly controlled online casino market could replace parts of the country’s prohibition model.
