Russian Orthodox Church Slams Finance Ministry’s $1.3B Online Casino Legalization Plans

Russian Orthodox Church leaders have hit out at the finance ministry’s plans to legalize online casinos, claiming the move would undermine “traditional values.”

Vakhtang Kipshidze, the Deputy Head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synodal Department for Relations with Society and the Media, said gamblers exhibit “obsessive” behavior. Anton Siluanov, Russia’s long-serving finance minister, said the move could help the treasury raise 100 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) in tax revenues.

“It’s understandable that any finance ministry, in any country, is always seeking new sources of budget revenue,” Kipshidze wrote on Telegram. “But in the case of the aforementioned 100 billion rubles, this money will effectively be taken from Russian families who have, or will develop as a result of this dubious proposal, gambling addicts.”

The church official added that the move could also “exacerbate Russia’s already dire demographic situation.” Kipshidze added that the church’s official position on gambling was that the sector should be tightly monitored.

Currently, online casinos are illegal in Russia, although some sports-focused bookmakers are allowed to operate online. Russia is also home to four designated gambling zones. Footfall at many of these zones’ casinos is currently on the rise.

Church: Illegal Online Casinos the Real Problem

Kipshidze also hit out at the continued “accessibility of illegal online casinos.” He said that Russian leaders had placed “the protection of traditional values” at the top of their policy agenda. He called on the government to act accordingly.

Siluanov said he had sent his proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latter is yet to comment on the matter. The ministry wants to tax online casino operators’ profits at a 30% annual rate.

Critics of the proposal have flocked to Russian media outlets to voice their opposition to Siluanov’s plan.

Some say the proposed legalization of online casinos in Russia will not lead to a windfall for the budget. Experts say between 5 and 6 million people in Russia already suffer from gambling addiction.

But the ministry says it wants to cash in on a sector that, despite flaunting the law, is worth 3 trillion rubles ($39.2 billion) per year.

Gambling Epidemic Fears

Alina Rudakova, the Deputy Chair of the National Anti-Drug Union, also hit out at the plan. She said the move will fuel “an epidemic of gambling addiction” in the country.

“By legalizing online casinos, we’re not just regulating the market,” Rudakova told the Russian media outlet Postnews. “We are giving this destructive industry the status of a legitimate, state-approved activity. This sends the message that gambling is normal and safe.”

Rudakova added that legalizing online casinos “could negate years of work to prevent gambling addiction.”

“Misconceptions about the status of gambling greatly increase the risk of becoming involved in betting and quickly developing an addiction,” she added.

Others concurred.

“Gambling businesses gain unlimited access to citizens’ attention,” said Andrey Khodykov, the Executive Director of the Center for Combating Gambling Addiction. “They do so by engaging everyone – even women, children, and young people – through aggressive marketing techniques.”

Khodykov claimed that risk levels are higher for bettors who use online casinos. While sports betting is limited to a few events, at an online casino, a player can lose money every minute, he said.

“Perhaps Siluanov likes gambling,” quipped the lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, the Russian media outlet Life reported. “Honestly, the gambling business has both pros and cons. Everyone’s opinion on this topic matters. I don’t think we need to remove all restrictions right away.”