written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
22 Apr 2021
Journalist, Editorial Department
Members of the State Duma of the Russian Federation have approved a bill in its first reading that would empower the Federal Tax Service (FTS) to block websites of online casinos and payment systems that collaborate with such organizations, without the need for a court order. The initiative was spearheaded by Sergey Zhigarev, the chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, and Alexander Khinshtein, the official responsible for implementing information policy.
Parliamentarians believe that this legislation will strengthen efforts to combat the activities of illegal gambling operators online within the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. The bill also tightens oversight of cross-border money transfers to banned gambling organizers in Russia, including lottery operators.
Additionally, the authors of the bill proposed the creation of a special registry of individuals who will be prohibited from receiving electronic transfers. From now on, financial institutions will have the legal right to refuse transactions to individuals listed in this registry. This ban applies to both payment agents and mobile and postal service operators. Previously, these entities may have had agreements with organizations or operators of gambling activities that are banned in Russia, but under transitional provisions, they are required to terminate such contracts.
To minimize misunderstandings regarding the new legislation, the FTS will begin monitoring companies in the gambling sector that are authorized to operate within Russian jurisdiction.
Furthermore, the FTS will provide the Central Bank of Russia with information on recorded violations of legislation prohibiting cross-border transfers to illegal gambling operators.
It is worth noting that the State Duma is also looking to prohibit banks from collaborating with online casinos.
