The masterminds behind a Russian gambling network that ran two illegal land-based casinos will not serve time in prison, after a court decided to hand out suspended sentences.
The verdict came from the Central District Court of Prokopyevsk, in the Kuznetsk Basin region of southwestern Siberia.
A panel of judges found the six masterminds, all men, guilty of “organizing illegal gambling for the purpose of generating income on an especially large scale.”
Prosecutors told the court the group operated the casinos from January 2022 to March 2024.
Officials told the court the masterminds rented out two commercial units in the Kuznetsk Basin region.
They fitted these units with 15 computer terminals, 14 laptops programmed to run gambling software, and 12 slot machines.
The court heard that the group recruited administrators, security guards, and other managers, using daily casino revenue to pay their “staff.”
In just over 2 years of operation, the criminals raked in profits of over 8 million rubles (about $104,000).
Russian Gambling Network: Court Issues Suspended Jail Terms
Police raided the casinos in March 2024, making multiple arrests and confiscating cash at the scene of the crime.
But the Prokopyevsk court decided against jailing the men. A panel of judges instead sentenced them to suspended sentences of between 1.5 and 3 years.
All six must also serve probation, the Russian media outlet Sidepo reported. The court also issued fines totaling over 6.3 million rubles (about $82,000).
The judges also ordered bailiffs to transfer all of the gaming machines and other equipment to the state.
Controversy continues to build in Russia over the Ministry of Finance’s plans to legalize, regulate, and tax online casinos.
Earlier this month, a top clinical psychologist said that communities in remote Russian regions were at the greatest threat from the plans.
She said a “strong illegal online casino sector could thrive, and addiction rates may rise” in rural areas if the Kremlin green-lights the proposal.
