Putin tells Russian casinos to cash in their chips

[BingoT]

Putin tells Russian casinos to cash in their chips

MOSCOW (AP) — Nearly two decades after the Soviet collapse set Russia's roulette wheels spinning again, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is calling in the chips on the gambling industry — a symbol of the glitz and excess of Russia's oil-fueled boom.

It's all part of a Kremlin crusade to clean up a country that has long had a fascination with games of chance — and to rein in an industry seen as a breeding ground for corruption and organized crime.

By CATRINA STEWART
The Story

[SlotMonster]

The weirdest thing is they are about to close poker clubs
Poker is official sport discipline in Russia (and in Belarus too), so I may supose that russian government simply has no bran... comlpetely insane...

[lots0]

The Russian government is about to learn that prohibition NEVER works.

All they have to do is look at the US war on Drugs. 40 years and there are more drugs and more powerful drug gangs than ever...

Not to mention all the countries that have been destroyed by the US War on drugs...

People in power never seem to learn.

Looks to me like a boon for anyone that is catering to Russian Online Gaming.

[SlotMonster]

Seems like Russians have found a loophole
At least for slots and roulette halls. They renamed it to "lottery hall", and when player come in - they buy a lottery ticket (500 RUR, approx. 15$ in price), and then attendant loads selected slot machine or roulette with credits or chips.
Now it works not everywhere, but in few places in Moscow

By the way, as you know, I'm from Belarus, and our government wouldn't mind if gambling business move to our country and russian gamblers (especially high-rollers lol) will have to fly onle 40 minutes or so to Minsk to be able to play (direct flight "Moscow-Minsk"). We are even ready to add special "VIP-gamblers charter flight" to our scedule It's not long flight, sometimes it takes more time to drive to work, especially if you are in traffic jam