Could casino gaming be back on the cards for Russia?
The Russian government is considering the possibility of legalisation of casinos in luxury hotels in the country, in accordance with a recent initiative of the Russian Association of Gaming Business Development.
According to Valery Ivanov, chairman of the association, the location of casinos in four gambling zones does not meet the existing demand for gambling in Russia. Moreover, according to him, the existence of such restrictions results in the fact that the majority of investors are not interested in investing in the development of gambling zones in the country.
Ivanov says that legalisation of casinos within the territory of Russia’s luxury hotels is an acute need, aimed at supporting of the national gambling and casino industry, the current situation of which leaves much to be desired.
He has also said that before the adoption of the ban on gambling in Russia (except in the four zones) such businesses employed approximately 650,000 people (including some relevant industries), while its total contributions to the Russian federal budget amounted to RUB80bn (€2bn), of which RUB17.8bn accounted for Moscow.
Analysts at the association believe that due to the existence of the ban, the Russian government is forced to spend millions of rubles on the implementation of the law and the fight against illegal casinos and slot machines.
Read the full article in the October issue of InterGaming.
