Russian province seeks to criminalise online gambling players

The legislature of the central Russian province of Tatarstan is currently considering a proposed bill that would, like Washington state laws, criminalise online gamblers along with parents whose offspring become addicted to internet gambling.

The publication RT reports that the draft legislation contains amendments to Russian federal laws on gambling, and proposes that starting from next year anyone caught gambling on the internet should be fined between 10,000 and 20,000 rubles (about $150 – $300). The measure also has proposed provisions for imposing fines for allowing underage players to bet on the internet, and for parents whose children become addicted to online gambling.

Other provisions include penalties for landlords who allow gambling on premises they rent out.

Rafil Nugumanov of Tatarstan’s State Council, told the Izvestia Daily that he and colleagues sponsoring the bill are motivated by the social consequences of compulsive gambling and the need to attack the problem by discouraging would-be online punters.

The initiative does not have the support of all lawmakers, RT reports, quoting one federal political activist who opined that the Tatarstan proposals are redundant and commenting:

“We are actively fighting online casinos and other websites that violate Russian laws. About 30 percent of all complaints we receive from our citizens are about such websites and access to these sites is usually blocked straight away. When owners launch mirror sites we take care of them as well.”

Current Russian federal law allows the state internet watchdog to block gambling sites without a court order, but also permits site owners to contest the decision if they deem it unjust.

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