Duma introduces new mechanism to combat illegal gambling business

At a meeting on January 26 the State Duma passed a law introducing responsibility of banks and other payment operators for transfers to illegal casinos. Both individuals and legal entities will be held liable.

The bill explains that violation by operators of provisions set by the rules regulating gambling business and activities of foreign companies on the territory of the country will now be punishable by fines. In addition to the ban on payments, the document specifies other requirements. Payment operators are also now forbidden to enter into contracts with unregistered gambling establishments, as well as to take no action to terminate previously signed agreements.

If such transactions are detected, officials will be fined between 100,000 and 500,000 rubles. Credit institutions will be penalized in the same amount. Legal entities in a similar situation will pay from 25% to 40% of the amount of the transfer. At the same time the minimum payment for them will be 5 million rubles.

The Federal Tax Service keeps records of organizers of gambling business, working without the permission of the regulator. Illegal online casinos and lotteries are also on the list of the Federal Tax Service. The activities of these organizations are prohibited in the country, and payments in their favor cannot be made since 2018. Nevertheless, many operators continued to allow transfers in favor of the organizers of illegal gambling. As of today, each such payment will be followed by a fine.

In addition, a law continues to operate in the country, allowing the Federal Tax Service to initiate blocking of online venues that carry out prohibited transfers without a court decision. Any payment operator that allows money transactions to illegal casino and lottery organizations falls under it.

Recall that in 2021 the Ukrainian gambling regulator issued more than four thousand licenses.