Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved regulations that will force gambling-related firms to block anyone whose name appears on a central self-exclusion registry from placing bets.
The State Duma passed the bill earlier this month, mandating a system of fines for non-compliant gambling firms. The Federation Council, Russia’s upper house, has also signed off on the bill.
Putin’s approval means that the bill will become law on September 1, the Russian media outlet Tsargrad reported. It will give courts and regulators the power to fine casinos, slot machine parlors, or bookmakers if they fail to identify any of their patrons as problem gamblers.
The development comes as Russia’s gambling sector continues to grow. Russian casinos reported a 7% rise in visitor numbers in the first half of the year.
But many have called on Moscow to act fast to stem an alarming growth in betting addiction. Up to 12% of the adult population, or 13 million Russian people, may be addicted to gambling, per government figures.
Putin: Gambling Rules Will Come Into Force in September
The government has responded to gambling addiction fears using a two-pronged approach.
The first revolves around its Federal State Information System (Gosuslugi) municipal services portal. The second involves a slew of new resources for psychologists and medical centers who deal with betting-addicted patients. Both roll out in September.
The new Gosuslugi features will include an option for individuals to add themselves to the self-exclusion registry. Casinos and other gambling firms will need to check patrons’ ID documents against the registry before allowing entry or accepting bets.
If bookmaker, slots parlor, or casino staff members fail to turn away patrons whose names appear on the registry, courts will be able to fine them up to $640.
Companies will face much higher fines. Courts may fine them up to $6,400 for each violation.
The fines will apply to both land-based operators and online bookmakers. Web-based casinos remain illegal in Russia, but sports betting firms can operate if they receive government-issued permits.
Courts will also gain the power to fine betting operators if their websites do not provide clear information about the Gosuslugi-based self-exclusion registry.
They must also feature prominent, clickable links that direct users to the relevant part of the government portal.
Land-based operators, meanwhile, must display posters informing patrons of their right to opt in to the self-exclusion registry.
Russian Betting Addiction Guidelines Incoming
Meanwhile, the Moscow-based Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Addiction is working on medical guidelines.
The center, in conjunction with the Russian Society of Psychiatrists, will unveil unified recommendations for the treatment of pathological gambling in the coming weeks.
Leading Russian psychologists have recently warned that childhood smartphone usage is driving up youth gambling addiction rates.
Meanwhile, several Russian casinos are undergoing ambitious expansion projects as the Kremlin approves more official gambling zones.
The Shambala Casino in Sochi announced last week that it will complete its second-phase expansion in the fall.
The firm said, in a post on VK, that it will open two new hotels with a combined total of 315 rooms.
The operator said it will also add a spa center, a nightclub, a sports arena, and a convention hall.
The company has previously announced plans for a major expansion at its casino in Kaliningrad.
