Russian Communist Lawmaker Advocates for Complete Ban on Online Casinos

(AsiaGameHub) –   A senior Russian Communist Party official has urged the Kremlin to dismiss the Ministry of Finance’s contentious proposal to legalize online casinos.

According to the Russian media outlet News.ru, Georgy Kamnev, a State Duma deputy and member of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, demanded a “complete ban on online casinos in Russia.” He insisted the Kremlin should block all internet-based gambling platforms “without exception.”

Kamnev called for banks and Roskomnadzor, Russia’s internet watchdog, to “join forces” and render these platforms technically inaccessible to citizens.

The lawmaker stated that commercial banks and Roskomnadzor need to intensify their efforts to block mirror sites operated by gambling platforms.

He further pressed the government to eliminate “VPN bypasses” and instructed banks to halt any payments they believe are associated with online casinos.

Online Casino Legalization Plan Is ‘Dangerous,’ Says Lawmaker

The Communist Party official described online casinos as a “dangerous sector that ruins people’s lives.”

“Gambling addiction leads Russians to accumulate massive debts,” Kamnev stated. “People take out microloans at exorbitant interest rates, mortgage their apartments, and even sell their property [to gamble].”

Kamnev explained that once their funds are depleted, debt collectors “appear on the doorstep.” In the worst instances, “it ends in suicide,” the deputy added.

He asserted that the state’s duty is to protect its citizens, not to profit from their vulnerabilities. “The health of the nation and the well-being of Russian families are more important than boosting dubious tax revenues,” he said.

Tax Bookmakers More, Urges Politician

The ministry argues that it requires new sources of tax revenue. It also claims that its attempts to close online casinos are mostly ineffective, as operators utilize a multitude of mirror and proxy sites to circumvent blocking measures.

Finance officials state that imposing a tax of 30% on online casino operators’ annual profits, after deducting winnings payouts, would generate billions of dollars annually for Moscow.

However, legislators remain doubtful. Some have proposed different methods to tax the gambling industry without permitting online casinos.

One such lawmaker is Sergei Mironov, the head of the A Just Russia political faction.

In January, Mironov said the Russian government should raise profit taxes on bookmakers and legal land-based casinos to 50% rather than legalize online casinos.

“We could also double tax rates on gaming tables, slot machines, and more. This will bring money into the state budget and curb the fast-growing profits of gambling establishments,” Mironov stated.

The A Just Russia leader informed the same media outlet that the nation already has “plenty of land-based gambling establishments.”

“There is no need to expand this sector any further,” he concluded.

Police Issue Warning

Gambling industry representatives express confidence that legislators could approve the ministry’s legislative proposals before the month’s end.

Experts and police officials report that betting addiction is increasing in Russia.

Last month, police in Luzino, a village in the Omsk Oblast, charged a man with stealing his friend’s phone.

The suspect allegedly used the device to take money, which he then squandered on an illegal casino app.