Mobilnaya Karta Named Only Official Online Operator By Putin
Vladimir Putin has signed an official decree name Mobilnaya Karta as the country’s only legal online operator to prevent the rise of unlicensed platforms. Many have declared this as an anti-democratic decree, and there are many ongoing protests against the current president of Russia for his actions over the last two decades. Putin rose to power in May 2012, and on his first day, he issued several laws which would become known as the ‘May Decrees’. Putin is an infamous face, and he’s had a big impact on the Russian gambling industry this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an important legislative change via The Kremlin today, making Mobilnaya Karta the only officially licensed online platform in the country. The problem of unlicensed betting sites is rife in Russia, and this new decree is set to change the online gambling landscape forever. ©Stroganova/Pixabay
The Russian gambling industry will undergo several huge changes in the next few years. The first of these is the single inditement of Mobilnaya Karta, who will now become the country’s only official license holder. Several international brands have already rescinded their contracts with Russia and will not risk any permanent sanctions against their businesses from the Kremlin. The Russian gambling authority has little to no control over industry affairs as the president, and his executives make almost all administrative decisions.
Many have criticized this law for its anti-competitive nature as it restricts all other betting forces from operating legally in the country. Another criticism of Putin’s decision is that it favors a Kremlin-owned brand. The major betting firm is co-owned by Suleiman Karimov, a close friend of the president and the government. Protests have been ongoing for months now, and this new law has fuelled the fire further, with seemingly most of the western world keen for them to succeed.
Previous to this law, many betting sites were active in Russia, including well-known brands such as Bet365, Betway and many others. The Kremlin has decided to remove any outside influence as paranoia relating to foreign policy increases. Russia has made a habit of raising the tension for international affairs, and Vladimir Putin is a divisive character, to say the least. As far as the Americans are concerned, he is a danger to democratic ideals, and while the current rhetoric is far less serious, it showcases the true actions of the Russian government.
Back in November 2020, the Russian government considered appointing a single regulator for the first time. Since then, news on the matter slowed to a halt, and many assumed that they had given up on regulating the online betting market, but Putin and the Kremlin once again proved everyone wrong in a decisive move. While the damage to international betting company’s is sizable, domestic franchisees are forced to close otherwise, they will receive heavy sanctions from the government..
The Kremlin’s Tight Gambling Control
Gambling restrictions are tight in Russia; apart from its major cities, there is almost no land-based gambling anywhere. Moscow and St Petersburg house most of the country’s largest casinos as tourists are most likely to visit one of the two cities. While online gambling doesn’t fall under this umbrella, the Kremlin has taken decisive action after numerous attempts to restrict it failed. Gambling zones were established to help regulators maintain control over the actions of casino companies based in major Russian cities.
Russia did allow the opening of a major casino complex in late 2020, and their promotion of land-based casinos hasn’t halted over the last few months. The government are keen to promote land-based alternatives rather than the online market as it contributes directly to the Russian economy. While much of the Russian online gambling market remains unregulated, the Kremlin will take further action in collaboration with ISP’s to shut down any illegal platforms.
