Russia to start blocking websites of illegal online casinos without court permission

Deputies of the State Duma adopted all slots casino in the first reading a document that would allow the Federal Tax Service (FTS) to block web resources of illegal online casinos and payment systems, collaborating with such organizations, in an extrajudicial procedure. The project was initiated by Chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs Sergey Zhigarev and Alexander Khinstein, who is responsible for the implementation of information policy.

Parliamentarians are sure that this draft law will allow to strengthen measures against illegal gambling operators in the Internet within the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. The document also tightens supervision over cross-border money transfers to organizers of gambling activity, including lotteries, which are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In addition, the authors proposed to create a special register of persons who will not be able to receive wire transfers. Henceforth, credit structures, referring to this norm, have the legal right to refuse to carry out the relevant operation to the persons in this list. The ban applies both to payment agents and mobile and postal operators. If these entities previously had cooperation agreements with organisations or operators of gambling entertainment that are banned in the Russian Federation, they must terminate them under the transitional provisions.

In order to minimise inconsistencies in the understanding of the new draft law, the top online casinos will begin to monitor gambling companies which are entitled to operate within the Russian jurisdiction.

Also, the FTS will transmit to the Bank of Russia information on recorded cases of violations of the core legislation banning cross-border transfers in favour of illegal operators of gambling entertainment.