RUSSIAN PRESIDENT GETS TOUGH ON GAMBLING

Wednesday July 27,2011 : Federal Law aimed at increasing responsibility for unlawful organisation of gambling
 
The draconian Russian approach to gambling which has seen land gambling confined to four remote regions of the country took a new turn this week with the signature of a decree by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
 
Amongst other things the decree singles out online and mobile gambling as a criminal offence.
 
The Federal Law is aimed at increasing liability for the unlawful organisation and running of gambling with the addition of new items to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation.
 
The new additions stipulate criminal and administrative liability, respectively, for the unlawful organisation and running of gambling outside the approved gambling regions and through the use of information and telecommunications networks, such as the Internet, and other means of communication, such as mobile.