The Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, has adopted in its third and final reading a law introducing penalties for gambling operators that allow self-excluded individuals to gamble.
Under the new law, officials who commit these violations will face fines of between RUB 30,000 and RUB 50,000, while legal entities will be subject to fines of between RUB 300,000 and RUB 500,000.
The law will come into force on 1 September 2026. The national self-exclusion register is expected to begin operating on the same date.
Also starting from September, citizens affected by gambling addiction will be able to access free, comprehensive care from psychiatrists and addiction specialists.
Furthermore, the country is set to introduce the first unified clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gambling addiction. The initiative is being developed by the Serbsky Psychiatric and Addiction Research Centre.
Discussions surrounding gambling regulation and player protection measures in Russia thus continue to intensify and broaden in scope.
Recently, the Ministry of Finance issued a Draft Order requiring operators to display prominent gambling-risk warnings on websites and in advertising.
Following tighter legal requirements for advertising, major Russian bookmakers Pari, Liga Stavok and Winline signed voluntary industry guidelines on responsible advertising practices.
The directive was developed by the Association for the Development of Interactive Advertising (ADIA) in collaboration with the operators.
This week, Russia’s systemic opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) proposed the sanctiouning of adults who deliberately encourage or enable underage gambling.
The party further proposed creating anonymous gambling addiction support centres and a nationwide 24-hour helpline.
Russia’s poker club sector has grown from around two dozen venues in late 2025 to more than 300 by June 2026, with clubs operating through tournament entry fees outside existing gambling laws
