The Russian State Duma's Committee on Criminal and Administrative Legislation has recommended rejecting a draft law that would introduce fines for promoting illegal gambling and lotteries online, as well as for violations related to betting advertising. The committee's decision was made on 20 October, with the bill scheduled for consideration by the State Duma on 22 October.
Details of the Proposed Legislation
The draft law, introduced by a group of deputies led by Artyom Kiryanov, aimed to establish liability for disseminating information about gambling organisers who violate existing bans on internet operations. The bill also targeted non-advertising information that could facilitate illegal gambling activity online.
Reasons for Committee's Recommendation
The committee highlighted that the proposed rules were not aligned with related legislative changes concerning information law. It noted that introducing new types of administrative offenses would not be possible without these corresponding amendments. The bill also faced criticism from the government and the Supreme Court, and did not receive support from relevant committees in the Federation Council.
Implications for the Industry
The committee's recommendation means that, for now, there will be no new administrative penalties specifically targeting the online promotion of illegal gambling and lotteries. Operators, affiliates, and advertisers are likely to see continued reliance on existing regulations, without the additional restrictions or fines that the draft law proposed. The lack of synchronisation between related laws remains a key barrier to further regulatory action in this area.
Key takeaways
- The Duma committee advised rejecting a bill on fines for promoting illegal gambling online.
- The bill lacked alignment with related legislative changes on information law.
- It faced opposition from government bodies and Federation Council committees.
- No new administrative penalties for online gambling promotion will be introduced at this stage.