Russia Moves to Slash Online Casino Blocking Times as Crackdown Intensifies

Russia is on the verge of giving regulators a much faster way to shut down online casino websites, cutting a process that currently takes days down to just 48 hours.

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The country’s upper parliamentary chamber, the Federation Council, has approved legislation designed to speed up the blocking of unauthorized gambling platforms. The bill had already cleared the State Duma, leaving only presidential approval before it becomes law.

The proposal targets what officials describe as a slow and outdated enforcement system. Under the current framework, authorities that identify an illegal gambling site must first submit information to the Federal Tax Service. The agency then requests that the website be added to Russia’s register of prohibited online resources. Only after that process is completed can communications regulator Roskomnadzor distribute the updated list to internet service providers, which are responsible for restricting access.

Lawmakers backing the reform argue that the existing chain of approvals creates unnecessary delays. By the time a site is formally blocked, operators often have time to continue attracting players or shift traffic elsewhere.

Supporters of the legislation believe a two-day turnaround will make enforcement more effective. Officials involved in the bill’s passage have framed the measure as an attempt to remove administrative obstacles rather than introduce new restrictions.

Whether the faster system will significantly reduce access to online casinos remains an open question.

Russia has been trying to limit online casino activity for nearly two decades. Gambling legislation introduced in 2006 effectively prohibited online casino operations, while a later Supreme Court ruling instructed internet providers to systematically block access to foreign and unauthorized betting platforms.

Yet regulators have repeatedly acknowledged the limitations of that approach. Many operators continue to reach Russian users through mirror domains and other technical workarounds that allow websites to reappear shortly after being blocked.

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That challenge helps explain why authorities are now focusing on speed. The logic is straightforward: if operators can quickly create replacement websites, regulators want the ability to respond just as quickly.

The latest legislation arrives as a broader debate over the future of online gambling continues inside government circles.

While one part of the state is seeking stronger enforcement powers, the Ministry of Finance has been promoting a very different idea. The ministry has reportedly proposed allowing a limited number of online casinos to operate legally under a regulated framework. Those operators would face a tax rate of 30% on annual profits.

The proposal has exposed divisions among policymakers and stakeholders.

Some figures connected to Russia’s gambling sector have argued that legalization would provide oversight, tax revenue, and a controlled alternative to the black market. One prominent former gambling official has also backed expanding legal casino access beyond Russia’s designated gambling zones, suggesting that large cities should be allowed to host land-based casinos.

Opposition has emerged from religious groups, particularly within the Russian Orthodox Church. Church representatives have urged the government to reject legalization proposals, warning that broader gambling access could worsen existing social and demographic pressures.

For now, the government appears united on at least one point: increasing pressure on illegal operators.

If President Vladimir Putin signs the legislation, regulators will soon gain a much shorter path from identifying an online casino to ordering internet providers to block it. What remains uncertain is whether a faster blocking process can solve a problem that Russian authorities have struggled to contain for years.

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Source: casinobeats.com