The Russian government's decision to ban casinos in cities and move operations to designated gambling zones has thrown hundreds of thousands of people out of work, according to Alsart.
The company’s Lyubov Loginova told InterGaming that the ban, which came into effect on July 1, resulted in 350,000 people losing their jobs and has potentially cost the state $2bn.
Loginova claimed that the authorities have targeted the gambling industry under the pretense of protecting low-income groups from losing their savings.
Both Kazakhstan and Ukraine are pursuing similar action and relocating gambling operations to special zones outside major cities, she added.
