Poker With Crypto From Russia
Since 2009 Russia has allowed casino gambling only in four gambling zones, and the limits apply online too. Online, only licensed bookmakers may take bets.
The short answer
Since 2009 Russia has allowed casino gambling only in four gambling zones, and the limits apply to online gambling as well; sports betting, through licensed bookmakers, is the exception, and online betting has been regulated since 2014. By our reading, that leaves no legal online poker in Russia. Russia is not on WePlay's list of refused countries, and Basepoker's terms name no countries, but neither changes Russian law.
From the sources at the bottom of the page. We are players, not lawyers; this page is what the law and our sources say, not legal advice.
At a glance
- The zones
- Casinos and gaming machines are confined to four gambling zones: Siberian Coin in the Altai, Yantarnaya in Kaliningrad, Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, and Primorie in Artyom near Vladivostok.
- Online
- The limits that came into effect in 2007, and in full at the end of June 2009, also apply to online gambling. Online betting has been regulated since 2014, with every online bet going through the Centers for Interactive Bets.
- Bookmakers
- Fifteen bookmakers were licensed in Russia in 2024.
- Tax
- Winnings from all gambling are subject to personal income tax in Russia, with no tax on winnings under 4,000 rubles. We could not confirm how this applies to a foreign poker room.
- The rooms
- Russia is not on WePlay's list of refused countries, and Basepoker's terms name no countries. WePlay's licence is from Anjouan and Basepoker's from Costa Rica; neither is a Russian licence.
Four zones, and no online casino
A law that came into effect in 2007, and in full at the end of June 2009, limited most gambling in Russia to dedicated gambling zones, and the limits applied to online gambling too. Casinos and gaming machines now operate only in four zones: Siberian Coin in the Altai, Yantarnaya in Kaliningrad, Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, and Primorie in Artyom near Vladivostok.
Sports betting is the exception. It became a regulated industry in 2002, online betting has been regulated since 2014, and every online bet must go through the Centers for Interactive Bets. Fifteen bookmakers held licences in 2024. The sources describe no such exception for online poker.
What this means for a reader in Russia
Russia is not on WePlay's list of refused countries, and Basepoker's terms name no countries, but both leave the law of your own country to you, and by our reading Russian law has no place for online poker. We do not give advice on getting around that, and we do not describe VPNs or payment workarounds.
Winnings from all gambling are subject to personal income tax in Russia, with no tax on winnings under 4,000 rubles; we could not confirm how that applies to a foreign poker room. Our strategy pages, the odds chart and the calculators are free to read anywhere.
Time zones
Moscow is UTC+3 all year, so a 20:30 start on WePlay's GMT+2 schedule, 18:30 UTC, is 21:30 in Moscow. The Tonight page shows every start in UTC.
Sources
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Questions
Is online poker legal in Russia?
Not as far as these sources show. Since 2009 casino gambling has been limited to four gambling zones, the limits apply online too, and only licensed bookmakers may take bets online.
Where is gambling legal in Russia?
Casinos and gaming machines operate only in four zones: Siberian Coin in the Altai, Yantarnaya in Kaliningrad, Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, and Primorie in Artyom near Vladivostok. Licensed bookmakers operate online and offline.