Online poker is illegal in Russia under Federal Law No. 244-FZ of December 29, 2006, which prohibits any game of chance on the internet including poker (1). Since the end of 2015, the Federal Tax Service, Roskomnadzor, and the Prosecutor General's Office have the right to block gambling sites without court decisions (1). The state can prohibit internet service providers from giving Russian residents access to unauthorized poker platforms, though many offshore operators continue serving Russian players through servers located outside Russia's borders.
Live poker for money is restricted to five designated gambling zones: Sibirskaya Moneta in Altai, Primorye, Yantarnaya in Kaliningrad, Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi, and Golden Shore in Crimea (1). Regional authorities in these zones issue licenses to private companies and state-run casinos, while the Federal Tax Service provides oversight and the Ministry of Finance controls overall gambling policy (1). Organizing live gambling for money outside these zones can result in fines up to 1 million rubles and imprisonment for up to four years.
"From mid-summer 2009, all licensed gambling houses were required to move into official gaming zones. Thus, in Russia it is prohibited to play offline poker for money outside of specially designated areas."
Poker players in Russia face strict enforcement measures, with the government blocking access to international poker sites and payment processors regularly (1). The Federal Tax Service oversees taxation of legal gambling activities within designated zones, with gambling tax rates ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 rubles per slot machine and 50,000 to 250,000 rubles per gaming table (2). Major international platforms including PokerStars, 888Poker, and PartyPoker exited the Russian market in early 2022, leaving players with limited options through licensed domestic operators or offshore sites using cryptocurrency payment methods.
Source:
https://handhistorypoker.com/blog/poker-rooms-en/how-to-play-poker-in-russia/
https://www.nalog.gov.ru/eng/
Last updated: 10-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
