07/12/2010, Casino

The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for sterner measures regarding illicit gambling and he insisted on closing all the clandestine casinos and gambling websites in Moscow.

The Russian President has demanded that all clandestine casinos and gambling websites in Moscow should be closed. The casino owners could face up to five years of prison on charges of illegal entrepreneurship.

“Of late I receive much information that clandestine gambling sites became wide spread in Moscow,” said Medvedev at the meeting with Moscow's city mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Monday.
“Those involved in such gambling businesses should be imprisoned” he added.

Sergei Sobyanin ensured that “together with law enforcement agencies necessary raids will be held” and the president will be briefed about the results.

In October 2006, the Russian gambling laws were severely limited. By the 1st of July 2009, all casinos and slot machines were located in four special zones throughout the country: the Kaliningrad region, the Altai republic, the Maritime territory and on the border of the Rostov region and Krasnodar territory.