Roskomnadzor announced blocking criteria for gambling websites

Websites that do not comply with the Federal Law No. 244 (on gambling regulation) will be blocked: legal grounds have been worked out.

The official confirmation is the recent publication of the order of the Federal Tax Service to approve the criteria for assessing the materials and/or information required for making decisions by the Roskomnadzor. The full name and content of the order can be found here.

In particular, it says that websites with the following content violate the law:

• offering to participate in a game of chance or a lottery, and also to make a bet;
• drawing attention to websites or pages described in the previous paragraph;
• telling about gambling or lottery and about ways of winning;
• describing ways to transfer funds for participation in a game of chance or lottery;
• demonstrating participation in a game of chance;
• indicating the ability to play under a different domain name or through interlock bypass.

All websites that meet one or more criteria from the list will be blocked by Roskomnadzor. Their addresses will be included in the register of banned ones within the territory of the Russian Federation.

Currently, gambling business entities are in unequal positions in Russia. Lotteries (except licensed ones) and online casinos are prohibited. Bookmakers can get licenses, but advertising opportunities are different. Those companies that have national sports betting lines and who pay target deductions can place advertising on the uniform of athletes, stadiums, etc. And those for whom Russian sport is not a priority direction are deprived of such an opportunity.