Russia Moves to Shorten Blocking Timeline for Illegal Online Casinos

Russia’s Federation Council has approved a bill that would cut the deadline for issuing blocking orders against unauthorized online casino websites from five days to two, according to SiGMA.

The measure has already passed the State Duma and now awaits President Vladimir Putin’s signature before becoming law. Until then, it remains a pending amendment to Russia’s gambling framework.

Under the current process, authorities identify an illegal gambling site and send the case to the Federal Tax Service. The agency then asks for the website to be added to Russia’s register of prohibited online resources, which is maintained by Roskomnadzor. Internet service providers are then instructed to restrict access.

The shorter deadline would reduce the window between detection and restriction. That matters because offshore casino operators can quickly return through mirror sites, replacement domains, redirects, or new URLs after an earlier domain is blocked.

Russia’s current gambling regime leaves little room for online casino activity. Casino gambling is limited to designated gambling zones, while sports betting operates under a separate licensing system. Unauthorized casino sites remain exposed to domain restrictions and regulatory action.

The bill comes as Russian officials are also discussing a separate idea: allowing a limited number of licensed online casinos under state supervision. SiGMA previously reported that the Ministry of Finance had proposed a model applying a 30% tax on annual profits, excluding player payouts. Officials estimated that such a framework could generate around 100 billion rubles in annual tax revenue.

That proposal remains politically sensitive. Senior figures in the Russian Orthodox Church have opposed expanded online casino access, and critics have pointed to risks around gambling addiction, age checks, and player protection.

For operators and suppliers watching Russia, the immediate direction is clearer than the long-term market question. Enforcement is moving first. Any future licensing model would likely be narrow, closely supervised, and built around high tax expectations rather than open competition.