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Read Full BioRussian police say they have raided an illegal casino operating in a downtown shopping center in the city of Omsk.
The Omsk branch of the Russian media outlet MKRU reported that local police officers carried out the raid in conjunction with the Omsk branch of the Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Service of Troops of the National Guard (Rosgvardia).
The ministry released a VK video showing armed officers and troops entering the premises and ordering suspects to place their hands above their heads.
Russian Police Raid: Officers Make 15 Arrests
The video also shows officers confiscating cards and gambling chips from a green cloth-covered gaming table.
Officers said they had acted after receiving information about a gambling session being held in a unit of a shopping center on Ul. Frunze, in Omsk’s commercial district.
A police spokesperson said that patrons were playing poker when officers entered the building.
The spokesperson revealed officers made 15 arrests, with patrons and underground casino employees taken into custody.
Gambling Club Opened in January 2025, Ministry Says
Police said they confiscated four gambling tables from the venue, as well as over 3,000 betting chips, decks of cards, and dice.
Officers claim to have arrested the casino’s alleged mastermind, identified as a 30-year-old resident of the Omsk Oblast.
A ministry official described the operation as an illegal gambling club that first opened its doors at the end of January this year.
The official added that the operator created a dedicated Telegram channel to notify patrons about upcoming gaming sessions. Police also noted that the investigation into the casino was ongoing, as the hunt for additional operators and patrons continues.
Nationwide Crackdown
The raid comes amid a broader national crackdown on illegal Russian casino operators. Officials think there has been a rise in both brick-and-mortar casinos and online betting sites in recent years.
In recent weeks, police and Interior Ministry officers have responded with a series of raids in regions including St. Petersburg and Siberia.
In Krasnoyarsk, prosecutors have charged two Internal Ministry detectives with helping to operate an underground gambling den and launder money for criminal groups. Prosecutors think the duo took bribes to protect the operators and patrons of an illegal casino. The casino allegedly first opened its doors to Krasnoyarsk-based patrons in 2019.
Russia’s legal casino sector, meanwhile, continues to grow. Operators at the Altai Palace in Altai Krai, Siberia, and Kaliningrad have unveiled ambitious plans to upgrade their casinos and build new hotels and resort facilities over the next two years.
