written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
11 Feb 2022
Journalist, Editorial Department
The Federation Council has introduced punitive measures for mobile operators that facilitate money transfers to unlicensed casinos or betting companies. This decision was made during a recent plenary session. Administrative sanctions will now apply to telecommunications operators, as well as banks and organizations that conduct money transfers for a fee.
Alexander Bashkin, a member of the Federation Council's committee on constitutional issues, stated that previously there were no penalties for such violations. Now, payment and mobile operators, banks, and even postal companies will face consequences if they are found to be involved in these transactions.
The parliamentarian also noted that a resolution passed by the Federation Council on February 11, 2022, established accountability for entering into contracts with illegal casino and betting operators. Furthermore, the mere existence of such agreements is now considered a violation, even if they were established prior to the new regulations. In this case, the aforementioned organizations will be required to pay fines for failing to terminate contracts with illegal gambling service providers.
Company officials found in violation will face fines ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 rubles. Legal entities will be fined between 25% and 40% of the amount of the illegal transfer, with a minimum penalty of 5 million rubles. Employees of banks or other financial institutions may also be fined up to 500,000 rubles.
Will this decision help reduce the number of illegal casinos?
According to accompanying documents, the Federal Tax Service continues to maintain a precise record of all illegal organizations providing online gambling services. The tax authority has the right to block such platforms without a court order.
It is worth noting that Kazakh lawmakers are also seeking to ban gambling advertisements.
