Russia’s upper house has given the green light to legislation that will dramatically speed up the process of blocking illegal online casinos. Enforcement timelines are being slashed from five working days to just 48 hours. The Federation Council’s approval means the bill now heads to President Putin for final sign-off, and state officials are confident it will become law this month.

Streamlining the Enforcement Pipeline

The new system represents a significant overhaul of how Russian authorities tackle unlicensed gambling operators. Currently, when government agencies identify a problematic site, they file a report to the Federal Tax Service, which must then request its addition to the unified register of prohibited websites maintained by Roskomnadzor. That register is then circulated to internet service providers across the country. The entire process has been a bureaucratic slog.

By cutting through the red tape, lawmakers claim law enforcement will operate far more effectively. Alexander Trembitsky, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council’s Committee on Economic Policy, suggested the streamlined approach will give the FTS a much sharper tool for tackling what officials describe as a persistent problem.

The Ongoing Cat and Mouse Game

That persistent problem is real enough. Russia has banned online casinos since 2006, and the Supreme Court reinforced the crackdown with a 2012 ruling requiring ISPs to systematically block access to illegal gambling portals. Yet operators continue to find ways around the restrictions, deploying mirror sites and various bypass mechanisms that make enforcement feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole.

What makes this story particularly interesting, frankly, is the parallel debate happening behind closed doors. The Ministry of Finance has quietly proposed legalizing a select group of online casinos and taxing them at 30% of annual profits. Some former industry figures have backed the idea, even suggesting major cities should be permitted to open land-based casinos.

That proposal faces stiff opposition from religious leaders, who worry about social consequences. It’s a classic tension that crops up across regulated markets: enforcement of existing bans versus the potential revenue from regulated operators.

What the team thinks

BAZ HARTLEY: Carl’s piece highlights a troubling trend where faster enforcement timelines sound good on paper but could create real problems for players caught in the crossfire. When authorities have 48 hours to shut down a site, legitimate complaints about unpaid winnings get lost in the rush, and players may never recover their funds before platforms vanish entirely.

SHEENA McALLISTER: That’s a fair point, Baz, but I’d argue the speed itself isn’t inherently the problem, it’s the lack of transparency in Russia’s regulatory framework. Contrast this with UKGC enforcement, where faster action actually protects consumers because operators have clear licensing pathways and appeals processes. Russia’s system appears to have neither, which makes this expansion genuinely concerning.

BAZ HARTLEY: Exactly right. If Russia paired these faster timelines with a legitimate licensing regime and player protection fund, like we see in the UK, I’d actually support it. But tightening the digital grip without opening any legitimate channels for operators or safeguards for players just pushes the whole market further underground, which is worse for everyone.

SHEENA McALLISTER: That’s the regulatory paradox Carl captures well, though he could have pushed harder on what Russia’s missing. Other jurisdictions have shown you can enforce swiftly AND fairly, but it requires investment in proper regulatory infrastructure, not just deadline reduction.