FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Faced with the ever-increasing costs of the war in Ukraine and the lack of new fiscal resources, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has proposed legalizing online casinos, banned in the country since 2009. The news was reported by the business newspaper Kommersant, which cites a letter the minister sent to President Vladimir Putin, seeking his approval for this controversial initiative.
According to Kommersant's sources, Siluanov suggests lifting the ban and creating a unified monitoring system, similar to the one currently used for licensed betting operators and online totalizators. The proposal also includes the establishment of a single state regulator, which would oversee the industry and have the powers to curb gambling addiction.
The minister estimates that legalizing online casinos and imposing a monthly tax of at least 30% on gross income could generate up to 100 billion rubles a year (about $1.3 billion) for the federal budget.
This initiative comes at a time when the Russian legal betting market has reached record sizes – 1.7 trillion rubles ($22.2 billion) in 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance itself – as authorities try to extend control even over illegal activities that are flourishing in the background.
The Russian government, through other agencies, will intensify efforts to shut down illegal operators if the initiative is approved, the report said.
However, it is not yet known whether President Putin has supported or rejected this proposal. The report does not mention any official reaction from the Kremlin.
Globally, the online gaming industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but concerns about the health consequences of gambling addiction are growing. International organizations and researchers have called the phenomenon a silent public health crisis, as governments grapple with the challenge of balancing revenue and ethics.
Lini një Përgjigje