With over a hundred million residents, Russia is definitely one of the largest markets for online casinos. However, this country’s strict gambling laws are making it hard for online casinos to penetrate the Russian market.
History of Online Casinos in Russia
Gambling laws in Russia have always been complicated. It was during the 17th century when the first lottery was introduced in Russia through the efforts of Tsar Peter the Great. In 1927, gambling was banned in working districts and after one year, it was banned in all districts. It was in 1932 when the lottery business started getting regulated by the Russian government. In 1988, the first slot machines were introduced but they were only permitted in hotels which were promoting tourism. It was in 1989 when the gambling ban was lifted. In 2004, gambling tax was introduced. It was in 2006 when an outright ban on online casinos was created. In 2009, gambling was allowed in four zones which are Yantarnaya, Azov City, Siberian Coin, and Primorye; but gambling outside those four zones became illegal. Back in 2009, Altai Palace Casino, which was the first legal casino, was built in Siberian Coin. In 2010, the first legal casino in Azov City was built. Back in 2012, it was decided by the Russian Supreme Court that offshore casino gaming sites which the Russian government finds illegal will be blocked and restricted in the country. In 2014, two more were added to the legal gambling zones which are Sochi and Crimea. Recently in 2017, the first legal casino was built in Sochi.
Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Russia
The recent gambling laws in Russia banned roulette and slot games, as well as remote gambling. Internet service providers block access to online casinos unless a VPN account will be used. But in late 2017, a new Russian Law which bans the use of VPN accounts was created.
The Best NetEnt Casinos in Russia
Here are some of the best NetEnt casinos in Russia: Casino X, Joycasino, Europa Casino, Casino Cruise, Bob Casino, 888 Casino, casino.com, Vera & John Casino, Fortune Jack Casino, InterCasino, BitStarz Casino, Playamo Casino, Trada Casino, Omni Slots Casino, Rich Casino, Yako Casino, Cozyno Casino, Unibet Casino, NetBet Casino, Magik Slots Casino, Bet365 Casino, King Billy Casino, Jackpot City Casino, and Argo Casino,
Welcome Bonuses at NetEnt Casinos in Russia
Casino X gives out a $50 welcome bonus with a 200% bonus percentage to its new players. Joycasino has a welcome bonus consisting of up to €2,000 with a 100% bonus percentage. Europa Casino offers its new users up to €2400 welcome bonus and a $25 weekly bonus. Casino Cruise gives out a £300 welcome bonus with 100 free spins.
Bob Casino has a welcome bonus which consists of a $500 cash bonus and 140 free spins.
888 Casino gives out up to $1500 welcome bonus.
Casino.com offers its new users a £400 welcome bonus with 180 free spins.
Vera & John Casino has a welcome bonus consisting of 100 free spins.
Fortune Jack Casino gives out a 5 BTC welcome bonus with 250 free spins.
InterCasino has a welcome bonus which consists of a €900 cash bonus and 110 free spins. BitStarz Casino offers its new users a 5 BTC welcome bonus with 180 free spins.
Playamo Casino gives out a $300 welcome bonus with 150 free spins.
Trada Casino offers its new users a $50 cash bonus with a 200% bonus percentage.
Omni Slots Casino has a $300 welcome bonus with a 100% match bonus for its new users. Rich Casino gives out a welcome bonus consisting of a $800 cash bonus with a 200% bonus percentage.
Yako Casino offers its new players a $222 cash bonus with a 100% bonus percentage.
Cozyno Casino offers its new users a welcome bonus consisting of up to €1000 cash bonus with a 200% bonus percentage.
Unibet Casino, on the other hand, has a welcome bonus waiting for its new players consisting of a £200 cash bonus with 200% bonus percentage and 20 free spins.
NetBet Casino gives out a £200 welcome bonus with a 100% bonus percentage and 20 free spins for its new users.
Magik Slots Casino offers its new players up to €1500 welcome bonus with a 100% bonus percentage.
Bet365 Casino gives out a €100 welcome bonus with a 100% bonus percentage.
King Billy Casino, on the other hand, has a welcome bonus consisting of a €141 cash bonus with a 141% bonus percentage and 41 free spins.
Jackpot City gives out a $465 welcome bonus with a 100% bonus percentage.
Argo Casino offers its new players a $350 welcome bonus with a 100% bonus percentage.
Payment Methods, Languages, and Currencies Available at NetEnt Casinos in Russia
These are some of the most popular deposit and withdrawal methods available at NetEnt casinos in Russia: Qiwi Wallet, WebMoney, Yandex Money, VISA Card, MasterCard, Paypal, Skrill, instaDebit, Citadel, Neteller, PaysafeCard, Sofort, and PayForIt. Aside from its main language option which is Russian, popular online casinos in Russia are usually available in multiple languages like English, Polish, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, and German. The main currency available at NetEnt casinos in Russia is Russian rubles. Other currencies are also accepted like Euros, US Dollars, Czech Koruna, Danish Krone, Norwegian Krone, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc, and Great British Pounds.
The Future of Online Casinos in Russia
Even though Russia has pretty strict gambling laws, casino players should not lose hope. It’s the modernization age and hopefully, Russia will soon follow a lot of countries in loosening up its online gambling laws and restrictions. There are still a lot of ways to access online casinos for Russian casino players. Even though there’s an online gambling ban in Russia, there are so many Russian online casinos that are currently operating and fully accessible to Russians. These Russian online casinos also have large collections of different casino games for newbie players and expert casino enthusiasts.