The building of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. File photoMOSCOW, Jan 25The State Duma adopted in the second reading a bill introducing administrative liability for violating the ban on the provision of money transfer services to illegal online casinos and lotteries, the fine for legal entities will be at least 5 million rubles, for their officials — from 100 to 500 thousand rubles. The document establishes administrative liability for violation of the restrictions on money transfers and payment acceptance established by law in the field of gambling, lotteries, activities of foreign persons on the Internet in the territory of the Russian Federation or a ban on concluding an agreement. For such violations committed by a payment agent or a telecom operator, including a postal , the bill establishes a fine for legal entities in the amount of 25% to 40% of the amount of the accepted payment, but not less than 5 million rubles, for their officials — from 100 thousand to 500 thousand rubles. If in such cases the credit institution does not refuse to transfer the client or cross-border transfer of funds, including electronic, or violates the ban on concluding an agreement with him or does not take measures to terminate an already concluded agreement, then its officials will also be punished by a fine in the amount of 100 thousand to 500 thousand rubles.
The Central Bank revoked the license from NPO Premium for settlements with online casinos. It is assumed that the law will have to come into force 10 days after its official publication. Its adoption is designed to increase the effectiveness of measures to counter illegal activities in the field of organizing and conducting lotteries and gambling and to encourage credit institutions, payment agents and telecom operators to conscientiously fulfill their duties and comply with established prohibitions and restrictions. In June 2021, the State Duma adopted a law allowing The Federal Tax Service to extrajudicially block sites through which funds are transferred in favor of illegal online casinos and lotteries. It also prohibits credit institutions, payment agents, telecom operators, including postal ones, from entering into agreements with persons that are included in the lists of illegal organizers of casinos and lotteries or make transfers in their favor.
Putin signed the law against illegal online casinos
