Russia Tightens Online Gambling Payment Laws Ahead of World Cup

Russia has instituted an announced ban on Russian credit institutions and payment systems in the country transferring money from individuals to illegal bookmakers, casinos and totes. The ban goes into effect as the World Cup approaches. Russian President Vladimir Putin (l.) signed the law in November and it went into effect in late May.

Russia has begun enforcing its ban on Russian credit institutions and payment systems in the country transferring money from individuals to illegal bookmakers, casinos and totes.

The law was approved in November and went into effect May 27 as part of the run-up to the World Cup.

A blacklist of prohibited gambling sites and resources will be regularly updated by the Russian Federal Tax Service.

The tax service has not announced how it will track illegal bookmakers and lotteries and said it has no statistics on the volume of transfers to illegal sites. However, all online casinos, bookmakers and lotteries based outside Russia and accepting bets from Russian citizens will fall under the new law.

Russia has licensed about a dozen bookmakers receiving payments via TSUPISes online gambling processors, which is required under the new law.