Russia is a little different to other countries when it comes to gambling. Casinos are only permitted in specially approved gambling zones, of which only four exist. These zones are in Yantarnaya in Kaliningrad, Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, Primorye in the Primosrky Krai region, and one in the Altai Republic.
However, the Association of Gambling Industry Professionals (ADIB) wants to add the Russian capital to that list. The group is urging lawmakers to scrap plans for another casino zone in the Altai Republic, central South Russia, instead opting for a Moscow alternative.
A bill is currently making its way through the legislative process, after its introduction by the Ministry of Finance. It would pave the way for another Altai casino area, but the region already has the Siberian Coin gambling zone. Instead, the ADIB says a Moscow casino “makes sense.”
I think it is just some kind of public relations stunt.”
“I don’t understand the logic of this plan,” ADIB President Igor Ballo said of the Altai bill. “I think it is just some kind of public relations stunt. If the government wants to do it, let them do it. But it’s not a very promising zone.” Ballo went on to highlight that the current gambling zones are “performing very poorly.”
The ADIB suggests approving a gambling zone in the Mosco Oblast, a move that the group believes will attract tourists from China. China and Russia have improved relations over the past few years, now even permitting tourists to make visa-free visits.
