Tim Alper is a journalist who covers betting news and regulation for CasinoBeats. He joined the CasinoBeats team in May 2025. He reports on breaking news and developments in the world of betting, casinos, and...
Read Full BioPolice in Russia say they have found an illegal casino operating in a retail unit inside a major Siberian hospital.
The Russian media outlet Ch.S. Info reported that, per the Novosibirsk Region Prosecutor’s Office, officers received a tipoff from a member of the public complaining that an “underground gambling club” was operating in the hospital.
City Hospital No. 2 is located in the Zaeltsovsky District of Novosibirsk, the biggest and most populous city in Siberia.
The Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement, stating that its agents, together with the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Novosibirsk Region, followed up with a raid.
The office said: “We have been able to confirm a report about an underground gambling club operating on the premises of City Hospital No. 2.”
Prosecutors said they found the illegal casino operating in a disused retail space “that previously housed a grocery store.”
During the investigation, prosecution officials said they arrested two men who were “serving as security guards.”
Siberian Hospital Casino ‘Operated in Former Grocery Store’
Police also arrested seven patrons. They seized over 30 pieces of computer hardware, including monitors and PCs programmed to run illegal gambling games.
Officers said they also seized cash, and said the underground gambling center’s “daily revenue” was “approximately 100,000 rubles [$1,218].”
Prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation against several suspects. The accused will likely be tried for “the illegal organization and conduct of gambling operations.”
A court is set to rule on pretrial detention requests as the office continues its search for “other accomplices.”
Prosecutors Warn Would-be Casino Operators of ‘Heavy Fines & Jail Terms’
The prosecution service warned Novosibirsk residents that “organizing and conducting gambling in the Russian Federation is prohibited.”
A spokesperson added that courts in the country have the power to jail illegal casino operators for up to six years.
Courts can also issue fines of up to 1 million rubles ($12,183). Patrons are also subject to fines of up to 1.5 million rubles ($18,277).
Habitual gamblers, meanwhile, can face fines as high as 2 million rubles ($24,367), the office concluded.
In June this year, a far-right vigilante group named Russian Community (RO) said it helped police close down an illegal casino that catered to migrants in Novosibirsk.
