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 BioSenior Russian lawmakers are considering introducing a system of criminal liability for video game developers who feature online casino ads.
The Russian media outlet RIAMO reported that members of the State Duma also want to create a “checklist” for censors to review mobile, PC, and console games.
Yana Lantratova, Chair of the State Duma’s Committee on Civil Society Development, said she thought these measures would “help prevent the internet from turning into a battleground in the information war against children.”
Russian Lawmakers: Casino Ads Must Go
Lantratova said changes were needed to the Russian Criminal Code. She proposed introducing new clauses in the code specifying punishments for those “inciting minors to gamble and place bets online.”
The lawmaker said that existing censorship systems “only work indirectly.” And Lantratova urged the government to roll out “proactive protection methods.”
The committee chair went on to call for the introduction of a review system for games. She said this should focus on titles that may have a “destructive influence” on society. And she said lawmakers must introduce criminal liability for game makers who seek to “involve teenagers in gambling.”
Lantratova said censors need a new set of guidelines when reviewing games and toys. She added that games must be checked to ensure they “do not contain scenes of pornography, violence, or suicide.”
And Lantratova said that censors must flag games that feature “pro-LGBT, anti-Russia, or anti-family propaganda.”
Moscow has previously hit out at LGBT movements, claiming they are part of an international “extremist and terrorist” organization.
Time for a Comprehensive Law, Says MP
Lantratova said she wants fellow lawmakers to help develop “a comprehensive law to regulate video games.”
This should include “mandatory labelling, user identification, testing, and measures to support Russian developers,” she said.
She concluded that courts need more powers to punish people who use online platforms to recruit teenagers to “commit sabotage and arson.”
In recent years, there has been a rise in Russian dark web portals that recruit teenagers to set fire to buildings and cars in exchange for crypto payments. The same portals have also been linked to money laundering for illegal gambling dens and online casinos.
Last month, Russia’s official gambling zones reported that they had contributed approximately $19 million in tax revenue to the Treasury in the first half of 2025.
Casinos in the nation’s four zones have reported an increase in visitor numbers and revenues during the same period.
