Russia Tightens Gambling Laws, Poker Players Worry

On July 20, 2009, 'sportive poker' was removed from the All-Russian register of sports. This decision was made as part of a broader effort to regulate gambling in Russia. The removal of 'sportive poker' from the sports register automatically included it in the list of gambling games, placing it alongside games like roulette and slot machines, where the outcome depends on luck rather than skill.

On July 23, 2011, Dmitry Medvedev signed a law aimed at strengthening the responsibility for the illegal organization and conduct of gambling. The law introduces new articles in the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, providing for criminal and administrative responsibility for the illegal organization and conduct of gambling outside the gambling zone or using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet.

The law replaces the term 'control' with 'state supervision' and adds a separate article on state supervision in the field of organization and conduct of gambling. However, the law does not explicitly mention the Internet in the context of gambling. Prosecutors in some regions, such as Kirov and Samara, have already approached courts with demands to force providers to block access to sites where gambling is organized.