Visitor Numbers Up 23% at Russian Casinos as Gambling Zones Report Holiday Windfall

Visitor numbers at Russian casinos rose by 23% as citizens flocked to the country’s official gambling zones over the holiday period.

Almost 100,000 people visited the gambling zones during the holidays, the Russian media outlet News.ru reported, citing data from the Association of Entertainment and Event Tourism Operators (AIRIS).

AIRIS is an industry body comprised of gambling operators with casinos in the country’s gambling zones.

The body said that the popularity of gambling zones was not solely driven by betting. AIRIS said the development of non-gambling “leisure activities” was also contributing to footfall growth.

Russian Casinos: Holiday Windfall

Siberian and Sochi-based operators were the biggest winners over the holidays. From December 31, 2025, to January 11, 2026, 43,235 people visited the Krasnaya Polyana zone in Sochi.

The Siberian Coin gaming zone in Altai, meanwhile, welcomed 37,770 guests in the same period.

The remainder headed to a zone in Kaliningrad and casinos in Artyom, near Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East.

Russians celebrate New Year’s Eve on the evening of December 31, like much of the rest of the world. But this is followed by Christmas on January 7, when much of the Orthodox Christian community celebrates.

As such, many companies allow their staff to rest during this period, allowing many to plan vacations accordingly.

Revenues Rising

AIRIS claims revenues are climbing in Russian gambling zones. Late last year, the body said registered casinos generated around $19 million in tax revenues for the Treasury in the first half of 2025.

But the body conceded that earnings from tables and slots accounted for the lion’s share, at 70% of total revenue.

Some critics have claimed that this rise in profitability is detrimental to Russian society. The lawmaker Alexei Kurinny, a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, said Russian casino operators and bookmakers are “using their profits to get more Russians to gamble.”

He claimed advertising campaigns are “leading to an increase in the number of people, both young and old, with gambling addictions.”

“Growing profits allow bookmakers to make better marketing campaigns. They can also invest in various technological upgrades to attract new gamblers,” the lawmaker told News.ru in November.

But some gambling advocates say the country needs more gambling zones near major cities. Last year, Igor Ballo, President of the Association of Gambling Industry Professionals, stated the government should consider green-lighting a gambling zone in the metropolitan Moscow Oblast.

Police Shut Down Illegal Slots Hall in St. Petersburg

Meanwhile, in Saint Petersburg, the Investigative Committee says its officers found 15 slot machines in a raid on an apartment on Kollontai Street, in Krasnogvardeysky District.

Investigators said they arrested a man from the Orenburg region and a woman from St. Petersburg on suspicion of organizing illegal activity.

The agency said the makeshift casino began operating in late 2025, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

During their search of the apartment, detectives also seized 24 PCs that had been programmed to run virtual betting games.

The committee said its investigation was ongoing. It has asked a court to remand the duo in custody ahead of a hearing in the city later this year.

The Krasnogvardeysky District is a busy residential and commercial area, replete with many high-rise apartment buildings and popular stores.

Earlier this year, a leading policymaker said censors should use their powers to block a Russian-language Telegram bot-powered casino service.