Gambling in Russia was banned in 2009 closing down hundreds of casinos in Moscow and the surrounding area costing thousands of jobs and driving the industry underground with no regulations or protections for gamblers.
However the government set up four regions in far flung areas of the country to allow gambling, those being Kaliningrad Region, Primorsky Krai, Altai Krai and Krasnodar Krai. Of all those regions only four casinos have been developed and open at present “Oracle” and “Nirvana” in Krasnodar Krai, “Altai Palace” in Altai Krai and Tigre de Crystal in Primorsky Krai.
With the latest news and operators spending tens of millions of dollars in developing the casinos, it is expected that not one other casino will be built and those already in operation will struggle to make any kind of profit.
Many gaming observers said that the government never really wanted casinos to be built in those regions and this move will ensure it does not grow any further.
One former casino worker in Moscow even said that certain elements in the government want illegal gambling dens instead of legal casinos as some officials make millions from those illegal joints.