print versionThe Russian President has proposed the removal of the gambling industry from the cities to special zones (practically the same as "exile to Siberia"). The President compared the harm caused by gambling establishments with the "alcoholization of the population", and he added that they cause "serious moral and at times serious material damage".
It is well known that reasonably large amounts of money circulate in the gambling industry (in 2005 the turnover equalled $5-6 billion), and a part of them are "criminal". Here, on the gambling market the talk is direct: there is no intention of leaving for Siberia, rather of disappearing into the shadows to continue operations. Meantime, the Internet is one of these "shadow zones". It is logical to assume that if the new legislative draft is approved, the war will then be directed to the online casinos. Russia could introduce bans similar to those that were introduced in America earlier in the month.
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