Russia bans all gambling and shuts casinos

[Thorum]

"MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia closed down its casinos overnight as gambling was banned nationwide, a move the industry says could throw a third of a million people out of work...."

"...Vladimir Putin, now prime minister, came up with the idea in 2006 when he was president after the Interior Ministry linked several gaming operations in Moscow to Georgian organised crime..."

"...The Kremlin plans to restrict gambling to Las Vegas-style gaming zones in four rarely visited regions deemed to need investment, including one near the North Korea border, but nothing has been built and critics say the zones will fail..."

"...Each year gaming brought in up to $7 billion and paid $1 billion in tax, a gap the industry says will cause the state a budget headache..."

I think this is a bit short-sighted. Couldn't they have done more to combat crime instead of banning casinos?

[Angantyr]

What a blessing. As someone who lived there and worked there, I am overjoyed by the news.

The cost to the government and the people and families of Russia was hugely greater than the $1 billion dollars in tax the government was collecting. It was destroying the country.

If only the alcoholism problem was as easy to deal with. Unfortunately, you can always make hooch in a bathtub, but you cannot run a casino in one.

Спасибо Путину! России нужен диктатор.

[Osweo]

Wow! I'm pleased, I hate that sort of sordid filth, and if it's only done to hit Georgian gangsters, then that's not a bad thing anyway. Nothing is more insulting to the older generation there than to see these disgusting 'businesses' all over their towns. And they are everywhere.

"Critics say the new regions won't work" One's around Vladivostok, and the Chinese businessmen alone that I saw when last there should keep this going fine. Gambling is for idiots, and robbing foreign idiots is fine. A shame that they didn't extend this region to the poor buggers on the border in Blagoveschensk, though:
http://www.regnum.ru/news/1181321.html
They ought to restrict it to hotel residents, perhaps.

A view from Ural:
http://www.alpha.perm.ru/sosedi/txt.php?n=2657

Lots of scum defending the 'free market'... puke

Hoho - in Penza, the 'Young Guard' is monitoring internet clubs to make sure nobody's gambling even online!!!
http://penzanews.ru/content/view/10279/29

[Thorum]

I suppose I am an idiot...I have alot of fun playing slots, cards and other games.

[Fortis in Arduis]

Thorum, that is so profligate! How can you justify giving your money away like that?

[Osweo]

Playing cards with your mates in their kitchen is one thing, but financing a shady Georgian businessman?

[The Lawspeaker]

Banning casino's and gambling may sound like a good idea but the danger is now that it is being pushed completely underground and outside the control of the Russian government and justice department.

Perhaps it would be more sensible to fight off the mafia and nationalize all casino's under a run government- monopoly - the government makes sure that there is fair play and the profits flow into the pockets of the government. A bit like Holland Casino here.

[RoyBatty]

The ones who desperately want to gamble will always gamble. It's great news that this filth is off the mainstreets though.

[Hors]

Banning casino's and gambling may sound like a good idea but the danger is now that it is being pushed completely underground and outside the control of the Russian government and justice department.

It never was under any control but the criminal one.

Perhaps it would be more sensible to fight off the mafia and nationalize all casino's under a run government- monopoly - the government makes sure that there is fair play and the profits flow into the pockets of the government. A bit like Holland Casino here.

More corruption. Thank you, NO.

[Atlas]

Poker is the only thing that can bring me into a casino.