Russia Could Legalize Online Casinos

^{Russian Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov and Yury Krasovsky, president of Russian bookmaker Liga Stavok}

A recent gambling industry forum in Moscow, “Gambling: Contributions to Sports,” included discussions on the possible legalization of online casinos in Russia. Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov said the government is considering two approaches: continuing to fight the illegal market or creating a regulated sector. According to him, illegal online casinos have become one of the industry’s key challenges.

The debate is not new. Back in January 2026, reports emerged that Finance Minister Anton Siluanov had proposed that President Vladimir Putin consider legalizing online casinos.

At the time, the Finance Ministry estimated the illegal market at more than RUB 3 trillion ($35 billion) a year, while potential annual tax revenue for the state was estimated at around RUB 100 billion ($1.2 billion).

Russia currently blocks illegal online casino websites and can restrict payments made to them. However, the black market continues to operate, which supporters of legalization cite as an argument in favor of introducing regulation.

The betting industry has generally responded positively to the idea. Yury Krasovsky, president of Russian bookmaker Liga Stavok, has said legalization could bring part of the market out of the shadows and increase revenue for both the state and Russian sports. Representatives of BETBOOM and PARI have also spoken positively about a possible reform. Bookmaker FONBET has said that given the current scale of the illegal market, legalization could eventually become inevitable.

No final decision has been made, however. It also remains unclear who would be allowed to operate in the new market: a single operator appointed by the government or private online casino operators, including existing licensed betting companies.

At present, bookmakers and totalizators can legally operate in Russia both online and at physical locations. Casinos and slot machines are permitted only within designated gambling zones, where poker games can also be offered. Real-money online casinos and online poker remain prohibited in Russia.