Russian gambling business. Billionaires again want to legalize gambling in Russia

In the territory Russian Federation There are five operating gambling zones authorized by the government: “Primorye”, “Siberian Coin”, “Yantarnaya”, “Krasnaya Polyana” and . Another one - Crimean - is still under development. Each of them has its own characteristics. The map shows all the gambling zones that operate in Russia.

Gambling zone "Azov City"

Location: Krasnodar region

Number of gambling facilities: 3

“Azov City” is the first gambling zone in Russia, which has been operating since 2010 and is included in the list of gambling zones in Russia. Today, two investors are located here, owning three objects - Royal Time LLC and Shambhala CJSC. On January 1, 2019, it is planned to be liquidated due to the legislative requirement, according to which only one gambling zone should operate in one subject of the federation, but local authorities and companies that own the gambling business here are doing everything to preserve Azov City.

Casino "Oracle"

One of the largest casinos in the Russian Federation: the area of ​​gambling premises reaches 4 thousand square meters. m. This casino, in addition, is one of the most visited gambling facilities in the Russian Federation - in April alone there were more than 20 thousand guests.

Casino facilities include slot halls and poker rooms. Ruler slot machines consists of 300 gaming devices newest generation, which have not only high-quality picture and sound, but also good jackpots. These include popular slot machines from manufacturers Novomatic, Igrosoft, Atronic, Belatra, Mega Jack, etc. A special feature of “Oracle” is regular poker tournaments (held daily), as well as the monthly poker tournament MINI ORACUL POKER SERIES.

The casino has a hotel, restaurants and bars, as well as concert hall. Of all Russian casinos, only Oracle conducts online broadcasts of entertainment events.

Casino "Shambhala"

The second most visited gambling establishment is Azov City, which has an area of ​​about 8 thousand square meters. m there are more than 800 machines and 40 gaming tables (poker, roulette, slot machines, baccarat, blackjack). The total area of ​​the complex is 19 thousand square meters. m.

There is a five-star hotel with 150 rooms on the territory, as well as restaurants serving a wide variety of world cuisines. Guests also have access to a spa salon - “Shambhala” is the only facility in the Russian IRKZ that offers such services.

Nirvana Casino

The third largest gambling establishment in terms of attendance and area is IRKZ "Azov City". Occupies 1.5 thousand square meters. m. In the gaming room there are 250 machines, which differ in the minimum possible bet size. The casino regularly hosts slot tournaments and prize draws. There is also a “Poker School” here, where you can learn the basics and learn the secrets of this popular game.

Gambling zone "Primorye"

Location: Primorsky Krai, Muravyinaya Bay

Number of gambling facilities: 1

Until recently, on the territory gambling zone there were several residents: G1 Entertainment, Diamond Fortune Holdings Prime, Royal Time Primorye, Primorsky Entertainment Resorts City, etc. However, in 2017, the Primorsky Territory Development Corporation, which is the developer of Primorye, terminated the agreement lease with Royal Time Primorye due to the company’s failure to comply with investment conditions. Vacant plots of the gambling zone were put up for auction, and just recently new investors appeared in the project. In May 2018, it became, and in June the Korean company Moon Family House, which has not yet submitted a construction plan, announced its desire to invest in the project.

Casino Tigre de Cristal

The casino has 226 slot machines, 53 gaming tables and a premium VVS room. In line board games- poker, baccarat, sic bo, roulette. Slot machines are presented the latest games from the best manufacturers, including Novomatic and Spielo. You can also bet on sports at Tigre de Cristal.

The building has a concert venue where various shows are constantly held - stars of Russian and world show business come to entertain guests. There is also a place to stay in Primorye - the luxury hotel Tigre de Cristal was nominated for the World Travel Awards in the category "Leading Russian Hotel 2017".

There are a lot of shops and restaurants on the property. It is planned that new gambling facilities and 4 and 5 star hotels will be built here within a few years.

Gambling zone "Yantarnaya"

Location: Kaliningrad region

Number of gambling facilities: 2

Investors in the Yantarnaya gambling zone today are Neveland LLC and Uni Gaming Company LLC. According to the plans of its developers, the IRKZ should grow by 1 million square meters. m, however on this moment there are only two gaming facilities on its territory.

Slot hall Magic Crystal

The slot machine hall became the first gambling facility to open on the territory of Yantannaya. The establishment has been operating for two years. Magic Crystal occupies a two-story building in the shape of a glass cube, its area is 500 square meters. m. The hall has 150 slot machines, and there is also a bar.

Casino Sobranie

At the end of 2016, the first and so far only casino appeared on the territory of the gambling zone. Immediately after its opening, it received the title of one of the largest in Europe - the area of ​​the gambling hall alone is more than 3.5 thousand square meters. m, and the total area is 18 thousand square meters. m.

There are an order of magnitude more slot machines here than in Primorye - 350 devices, but there are much fewer gaming tables - only 14. However, the games here are as varied as in Primorye - the line includes various types of poker, including Texas Hold'em, six-card poker, blackjack, golden oasis, roulette.

Sobranie often hosts poker tournaments, including international ones.

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Unlike all previous Russian gambling zones, here the main emphasis is on slot machines, of which there are about 570 in the casino. Casino Sochi does not have as few tables for table games as in the Kaliningrad casino Sobranie - 70, more than 10% of which are intended for poker games.

It is in the Sochi casino that the largest poker tournaments take place. During the year of its existence, the facility hosted the international Eurasian Poker Tour with prize fund about half a million dollars, PartyPoker Million Sochi with a prize fund of $1 million. The PokerStars Championship will be held here on an ongoing basis.

The Sochi casino has enormous non-gaming opportunities: the facility has restaurants, cafeterias, shops, a bar, and a cabaret theater with a special program.

Slot hall "Bonus"

For six months now, another establishment from the investor Casino Sochi has been operating in Krasnaya Polyana - this is the Bonus slot machine hall. At the moment, it has 83 slot machines from such manufacturers as IGT, EGT, Scientific Games. There is a bar in the gaming room.

03 Sep 2016, 14:07

26 Feb 2016, 15:37

Finance, 12 Feb 2016, 01:33

03 Feb 2014, 17:33

*Calculations use average data for Russia

How things are in the gambling business by the end of 2018, what gambling is like today and whether there are prospects for opening a casino in Russia - we’ll talk about all this in this article.

Gambling business, which was so rapidly developing in Russia until 2009, has undergone a significant transformation. First of all, it was caused by changes in legislation in the field of organizing casinos and slot machine halls. Let’s analyze what the industry managed to achieve by the end of 2018, but first, let’s understand the very concept of “gambling business.”

What is gambling business in general?

Gambling business in a broad sense refers to the activity of organizing any kind of gambling. That is, the main elements of this business are the bets that players place, the risk of losing the bet and the chance of winning an amount exceeding the amount of the bet.

As a rule, all types of gambling are divided into two main types: winnings in which depend on chance (slot machines, dice, etc.), and winnings in which depend not only on chance, but also on the skills of the players (for example, poker, sweepstakes) .

There are countless types of gambling around the world; it is pointless to list them all. Almost all countries receive significant income from this type of business. In many countries, gambling is allowed only in specially designated areas; as a rule, these areas are thriving from an economic point of view. Las Vegas is visited by about 40 million tourists a year; in the Chinese gaming center of Macau, the number of tourists reaches 30 million a year, which brings huge money to the budget.

In countries where gambling is prohibited throughout the territory, this type of business does not disappear, but, as a rule, becomes criminal. For example, in Japan all types of gambling are prohibited except for sports betting, lotteries and some national species games.

What is gambling business in Russia

Let's go back to the source. The Tax Code of the Russian Federation, Article 364, states that the gambling business is a business activity involving the organization and conduct of gambling, associated with the extraction of income by organizations in the form of winnings and (or) fees for gambling.

The gambling business exists in two main forms: in the form of casinos and in the form of bookmakers or sweepstakes.

Bookmakers and sweepstakes are allowed throughout the Russian Federation. They must act in accordance with Federal Law dated December 29, 2006 N 244-FZ (as amended on November 27, 2017) “On state regulation of activities related to the organization and conduct of gambling and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.” Last changes(as of December 2018) were included in this law and come into force on May 27, 2018. the specified Federal Law are determined legal basis state regulation of activities related to the organization and conduct of gambling on the territory of the Russian Federation and restrictions on the implementation of this activity are established in order to protect morality, rights and legitimate interests of citizens.

Please note that the organization of lotteries does not relate to the gambling business; their activities are regulated by the Federal Law “On Lotteries” dated November 11, 2003 N 138-FZ (as amended on March 7, 2018).

Classic gambling, by which we mean slot machines and casinos, is allowed only in special zones.

Gambling zones in Russia where all types of gambling are allowed

As mentioned above, in Russia all types of gambling are permitted only in specialized gambling zones. Federal Law 244-FZ explains in detail where and under what conditions such zones can be located. However, in detailed consideration everyone necessary conditions placement makes no sense, since the list of zones is strictly defined by law.

Currently, gambling zones have been created in the territories of the following constituent entities of the Russian Federation: the Republic of Crimea, Altai Territory, Krasnodar Territory, Primorsky Territory, Kaliningrad Region. Please note that no more than one gambling zone is created on the territory of one subject of the Russian Federation.

The situation in gaming zones by the end of 2018

Republic of Crimea. The gambling zone of the Republic of Crimea, according to the head of the Republic Sergei Aksenov, will begin operating in the fall of 2019. But to date, its location has not yet been clearly determined. Were offered various options and existing in currently may not be definitive. One of the most big problems is a sectional regime established in relation to the Republic of Crimea. The implementation of such a project will require not only huge investments, but also certain experience, promotion technologies and management of such a complex. Domestic operators clearly do not have enough of all this, and foreign investors cannot legally enter this territory.

Altai region. Currently, a four-level system operates in the Altai Territory game complex Altai Palace (Siberian coin complex). It includes a casino, hotel, restaurant, karaoke hall, SPA complex and a large open area for active recreation, as well as a summer concert venue. Most often, the complex is visited by residents from various regions of Siberia. The complex is located at a distance of 288 kilometers from the capital Altai Territory, in the city of Barnaul. Over the nine years of its existence, more than 1.7 billion rubles of investment have been allocated to the development of this gaming zone. In 2017, almost 60 thousand people visited Altai Palace. Obstacle to development " Siberian coin“is due to the almost complete lack of necessary infrastructure and the low population density of the region. Tax revenues from this gambling zone for 2017 amounted to just over 31 million rubles, which is incommensurate with the investments made.

Photos and video materials from the official website of Altai Palace

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• Krasnodar region. The Azov City gambling zone is still located on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, in which there are four casinos. Over the nine years of their existence, over a million people visited them. Total investments in the Azov-City organization exceeded 6 billion rubles. However, Dmitry Medvedev ordered the liquidation of the Azov City gambling zone in the Krasnodar Territory from December 31, 2018. According to experts, the Russian budget will spend about 10 billion rubles on compensation to investors. Instead of "Azov City", a new gambling zone is being created in the region, which will be called "Krasnaya Polyana", located near the city of Sochi. The closure of Azov City is due to the fact that, by law, only one gaming zone can operate on the territory of a constituent entity of the Federation. So far, there is only one casino operating in the new gaming area - Sochi Casino and Resort - and one slot machine hall. Total There are still very few visitors to these establishments.

• Primorsky Krai. The launch of the Primorye gaming zone, located in the Primorsky Territory, in Muravyina Bay, took place in October 2015. The first casino that opened in this gaming zone was the Crystal Tiger, or in the French manner, Tigre de Cristal. Currently, this gambling establishment and hotel remain the only ones operating in the seaside gambling zone. The zone is located 50 kilometers from Vladivostok. Two more sites are planned, which according to the plan should welcome tourists in 2019. In two years, the casino received more than 850 thousand visitors, about 80% of whom were residents of China. The infrastructure of Primorye has not yet been completed and is in the process of development.

Photo: official group Tigre De Cristal casino VKontakte

• Kaliningrad region. The Yantarnaya play zone is located in the Kaliningrad region. The planned amount of investment in it will be about 45 billion rubles. The first MAGIC CRYSTAL slot machine hall on the territory of the Yantarnaya gambling zone began operating in 2016. Currently, the complex operates the only casino “Sobranie”, a conference center, a walking area and a hotel. The gaming zone is located 35 kilometers from Kaliningrad. Plans for the development of the zone are very large, but everything depends on the lack of foreign investors who could help set up business processes correctly.

Photo: official group of the Sobranie casino on VKontakte

Online casinos in Russia – legal or not

According to experts, the online casino market in Russia is about $1 billion a year, and more than $45 billion worldwide.

The prohibition on carrying out activities related to organizing and conducting online casino gambling is contained in paragraph 3 of Art. 5 of the Federal Law “On state regulation of activities related to the organization and conduct of gambling...”. Violation of these legal norms provides for criminal and administrative liability. Currently, the Federal Tax Service, Roskomnadzor or the Prosecutor General's Office are authorized to make decisions to block a gambling site without obtaining a court decision.

On May 26, 2018, certain provisions of the Federal Law of November 27, 2017 No. 358-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Lotteries” and the Federal Law “On State Regulation of Activities for the Organization and Conduct of Gambling and on Amendments” came into force in some legislative acts of the Russian Federation", which prohibit banks and payment systems from making transfers Money between individuals and illegal gaming sites.

The fine for organizing online gambling is up to 1 million rubles and provides for imprisonment for up to six years. You can’t even advertise gambling, the fine is up to 500 thousand rubles.

Thus, there is a complete ban on the operation of online casinos in Russia. In practice, implementing such a ban is quite difficult. A modern information system allows you to bypass any site blocking with minimal skill, and various systems payment and withdrawal of funds provide users with all options for almost any transaction.

Prospects for the development of gambling business in Russia

The development of the gambling business in the Russian Federation is primarily hampered by the poorly developed legal framework for its functioning. In particular, from January 1, 2018, tax rates on the gambling business have been doubled, or rather their minimum and maximum limits, within which the regional authorities themselves determine the specific rate.

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation plans to gradually increase tax rates on the gambling business for all objects of taxation by 10 times, as well as introduce new objects of taxation within the gambling business.

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International sanctions that make it difficult for foreign investors to come to Russia, who can bring not only the necessary investments, but also technologies, will not be lifted in the foreseeable future. Moreover, a significant tightening of sanctions is possible, which will further limit the participation of foreign operators in the development of the gaming business in Russia.

The constant decline in real incomes of the population, which has continued since 2014, contributes to a decrease in the profits of the gambling business. Lack of infrastructure and low population density nearby play areas allocated for organizing a gambling business, increase investment risks for investors.

Thus, the prospects for this business in Russia are very doubtful, which is confirmed by the near-zero dynamics of development of existing gaming zones over the past nine years.

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In the Russian Federation, the activities of bookmakers, sweepstakes, and casinos are controlled by law. Failure to comply with the laws is considered an administrative violation, and the owner of an illegal gambling establishment faces a fine or correctional labor. Let's take a closer look at what the law says about casinos and bookmakers in Russia, is it possible to organize such a business now, is a license necessary?

Despite some restrictions regarding gambling in Russia, it is thriving in the country due to the high demand. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, gambling business is considered to be a type entrepreneurial activity, based on receiving income from winnings. It exists in the following forms:

• Casino. As a rule, these are rooms with gaming tables and machines. The profit received from the activities of the casino makes the entrepreneur the organizer of the gambling business.
• Sweepstakes and bookmakers. Sports betting and gaming are also part of the gambling business. Bookmakers accept cash bets on various sporting events. Business is based on predicting the outcome of a game.

According to Article 9 of Federal Law 244, gambling is permitted in the following territories of the Russian Federation:

• Republic of Crimea;
• Altai region;
• Kaliningrad region;
• Primorsky Krai;
• Krasnodar region.

Gaming points in other regions of Russia are considered illegal and are subject to liquidation. All casinos and bookmakers must have a special permit (license) to operate, otherwise they are also subject to closure.

Gambling business on the Internet

With the spread of the Internet, online casinos and bookmakers began to emerge. According to the latest data, gambling is one of the most profitable segments of the network. The following sites are popular:

• Gaming Club;
• Vulcan Russia;
• JackpotCity;
• NetGame
• 777Planet.

On these resources, the visitor can play standard games: roulette, machines (slots), poker and more.

Despite the fact that gambling is officially prohibited in most parts of Russia, the law has no power to influence the spread of casinos and betting on the Internet. Foreign sites can operate without problems on the territory of the Russian Federation, which is why some online casinos disguise themselves as foreign casinos and bookmakers. For example, it is not prohibited by law to obtain a license from the gaming commission of Malta or Antigua and Barbuda, and with this permission to organize an online casino.

Taxes

Starting from 2018, the Russian government plans to gradually raise the tax on the gambling business. This year the numbers have doubled compared to previous years. Officials explain this by the fact that previously gambling taxes were not indexed, so now they plan to catch up.

In the table we will look in more detail at what taxes exist for the gambling business and their size.

Organization of gambling business

The gambling market has always been profitable, as the number of people wishing to try their luck does not decrease every year. However, organizing your own casino or bookmaker’s office is not an easy task when it comes to legal activities. It should be understood that to start, large investments are required (obtaining a license, purchasing equipment, renting premises). Let's take a step-by-step look at how to organize a gambling business in Russia:

1. Obtaining a license. This is a mandatory item if you do not want problems with the law in the future. How to get permission to open your own game point, we will tell you later in the article.
2. Search and premises rental. It should be noted that a casino or bookmaker should not be located in the same building as educational or recreational institutions, or in a residential building. To begin with, you can remove a small non-residential premises area up to 200 square meters, in the future, if the business is successful, it can be expanded.
3. Purchase equipment and furniture. First of all, these are tables and chairs, cloth (for casinos), bar counters. For gambling equipment, you will need slot machines, gaming tables, accessories for poker and other gambling games if you plan to open a casino. For a bookmaker's office, it is necessary to purchase a betting cash desk.
4. Hiring employees. The number of people working at the point depends on the size of the business. For small casinos and bookmakers, a few employees are enough. Large entertainment venues will need at least several dozen people. Please note that all employees must be adults.

To organize a gambling business from scratch, you need to have start-up capital. We will talk about the amount of initial expenses later in the article.

Opening a gambling business on the Internet

According to statistics, about 5 billion people use the Internet every day, many of them love to gamble. Therefore, online casinos flourish and receive maximum profits. It should be taken into account that there is already quite a lot of competition in this segment at the moment, so you need to approach the organization of the project with particular scrupulousness. Opening an online casino or bookmaker website includes several stages:

• Buy license. Having a permit to organize gambling allows you to expand your business in the future and avoid problems with the law.
• Analyze market. Look at what is missing in domestic online casinos. For example, most Russian sites offer roulette games, but there are practically no poker or slots. Consider what features might differentiate you from your competitors.
• Purchase hosting. If you are planning to organize a serious project, then you need hosting at least so that users can use your site uninterruptedly, and all software is protected from hacker attacks; protection against Ddos attacks, use bulletproof hosting.
• Purchase gaming software. Modern online gambling is complex systems, which require not only uninterrupted operation, but also development, programming, design, drawing of details, etc. High-quality software will help attract more customers to your website;
• Implementation payment system. Most often, for payment on gambling sites they use bank cards Visa/MasterCard or electronic wallets (WebMoney, Qiwi, PayPal). You will have to negotiate with representatives of payment systems through technical support.

To create a casino or bookmaker online, you need to negotiate with programmers and web developers. Remember that high-quality website support is the key to the success of the online gambling business.

License

Unfortunately, obtaining a license in Russia is impossible, since gambling is officially prohibited in the country (with the exception of five regions). The legal solution in such a situation is to purchase an offshore permit. You can purchase a license in the following countries:

After obtaining a license, organizing a casino or bookmaker's office (including on the Internet) will be completely legal. Obtaining a permit is not a cheap procedure, but without it it is difficult to recruit clients and further promote the business.

Gambling business income

All over the world, casinos and bookmakers are considered the most profitable niche for generating income. It is difficult to calculate how much money owners of betting shops and gambling establishments in the Russian Federation receive monthly, since there are no official statistics. In addition, the amount of income depends on many factors:

• How much big business. In small bookmakers, cash turnover amounts to several tens of thousands of rubles per month, while large casinos They receive monthly income of 2–3 million rubles or more.
• Type of business. Bookmakers and casinos are equally popular in the Russian Federation, but competition should be taken into account. If you are going to open a project, similar to which already exists in the city or on the Internet, the level of income may not be high.

The popularity of gambling makes a business profitable in the eyes of potential investors. With proper organization of the project and a good marketing strategy, the profit will be significant.

Illegal gambling business

A gambling business is considered illegal if there is no permission for its organization. According to Article 171.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, running gambling and betting without a license is punishable by:

• Penalties of up to 500 thousand rubles;
• Prison term up to 5 years.

Since obtaining a license is an expensive procedure, Lately cases of illegal organization of gambling business have become more frequent. You should remember criminal liability and act within the law.

Experience of Western countries

Governments of other countries have different attitudes towards the organization and conduct of gambling:

• USA. As in Russia, in the United States of America, casinos and betting are allowed only in certain cities: Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In the States, a license is issued only for the organization of certain forms of gambling establishments: horse racing betting, Indian casinos, card clubs, lotteries and charity casinos.
• Japan. Gambling is not officially permitted in Japan, but criminal groups (yakuza) organize underground games of mahjong, cards, and roulette. Punishments for people who break the law include a fine of up to 1 million yen or prison term up to 15 years.
• France. Another leading country in the number of operating casinos. Popular games: French roulette, slots, poker. Thus, the World Poker Tour tournament is held annually in Paris, in which any adult can participate. A license to organize and conduct gambling is issued by the Ministry of Justice after checking the equipment and premises for compliance with all legal norms.
• Germany. The country does not prohibit the organization of casinos and betting, but the legislation does not have clear rules regarding gambling. Germany is divided into 16 districts, each of which sets separate criteria for obtaining a license and the amount of tax on the gambling business. The age at which you can visit gambling establishments also differs: for example, in Baden-Baden, entry to the casino is only allowed from 21 years old, while in Berlin - from 18 years old.
• China. Gambling is prohibited almost throughout the country, with the exception of the province of Macau: the largest Chinese casinos are located there, some of which are more than 100 years old. Conduct lotteries and bets on horse races, sporting events, animal competitions are possible after obtaining a license.

Majority Western countries are loyal to the organization of the gambling business, because taxes from income go to the state treasury. However, violation of laws on gambling is severely punished: in most cases with fines, sometimes with prison sentences.