Various laws govern esports betting operations in Russia. For starters, offline gambling providers should only operate within the four zones stipulated by the government. They are not allowed to serve punters below 18 or employ staff below this age.
The Russian government also expects gambling operators to offer adequate security for their employees and punters visiting their premises. The latter must be capital construction projects, which shouldn't be in healthcare centers, educational facilities, unfinished buildings, transit stations, temporary constructions, and residential fund properties.
The Russian law requires bookmakers' offices to provide reliable customer service, which should be at least 800 square meters. The company is free to install slot machines in that region to cater to esports bettors who may want to play them. It should come with a minimum of ten tables.
Interestingly, esports betting in Russia is legal, despite online gambling being illegal here. How is this possible? Well, betting with skins (digital items) cannot be categorized as a part of conventional online gambling, which is against the law in this country. It creates a grey area that Russian esports enthusiasts take advantage of to wager on competitive video games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Betting acts in Russia
In 2006, Federal Law No. 244-FZ was passed, making all online betting platforms in Russia illegal. Betting companies in this jurisdiction reacted differently. While some moved to other countries and continued to provide their gambling services, others were forced to close up shop or transform into other types of businesses.
Several brands that decided to operate from other parts of the world adhered to the law and stopped welcoming Russians. However, most of them still allow the latter to register with them.
In 2012, the Russian Supreme Court entrusted a regulating body known as "Roskomnadzor" to track down all illegal betting platforms. This was one of the government's strategies to see to it that no online gambling was taking place in the country. The court also tasked all internet providers with blocking the betting platforms embracing Russians.
But this was against their policies, so most of them declined to do it. The government was infuriated, and it made it clear that internet providers violating this law would lose their licenses.
Unquestionably, the Roskomnadzor has always been vigilant to bar esports betting in Russia. A few years back, it saw the restriction of websites such as csgo.tm, csgofast.com, and skingames.co, which served Russian punters.