Russia’s State Duma advances bill to ban credit-card betting
Russia’s State Duma approved at first reading on 19 February a bill that would prohibit bookmakers and totalisators from accepting bets funded by credit-card transactions. The government proposed removing a separate restriction on placing betting outlets near microfinance organisations and suggested studying payments made with borrowed funds through business accounts and cards. Finance Deputy Minister Ivan Chebeskov estimated annual betting expenditure at about 2,000 billion rubles.
Bookmakers and totalisators may need to change payment acceptance if the bill completes the legislative process.