Russia has quite a history when it comes to gambling. The biggest country in the world initially experienced a ban in the 1920s under the Soviet Union. It wasn’t until 1989 that the country opened its first gambling place in Moscow.

During this time, poker became quite popular with slot machines being brought into hotels. The casino business grew to about 50 casinos by 2002 in Moscow. However, in 2009 the situation changed entirely after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin authorized a wide-scale ban on the practice leaving only 4 designated legalized areas.

The minister went further to ban online gambling completely. Gambling sites have been blocked further by internet service providers.

So, gambling in Russia is a very tricky topic, as things have remained the same nowadays. What’s worse is that the gambling scene in Russia might stay like this in the unforeseeable future.

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More often than not, there are websites and online content which can only be accessed in certain geographical locations. For instance, Netflix programs which are available in the USA may not be available in other countries such as in Russia, and vice versa.

Nevertheless, there is a way for anyone to be able to access the same Netflix programs from US in Russia, and there are several means out there that will allow you to do so.

watching American Netflix in Russia

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The cultural capital of Russia has so much to offer that more than 8 million people visited the city in 2017, and the numbers are growing. Some choose St. Petersburg as the first stop of their Russian holiday and only have time to visit the most iconic buildings and monuments of St. Petersburg, others decide to dedicate some time to explore the less-touristy spots in the city.

To encourage and facilitate international tourism, the Russian government has even launched a new electronic visa system that will allow foreign travelers to apply for an eVisa for St. Petersburg entirely online before leaving for Russia. There has really never been a better time to visit St. Petersburg.

short guide to the second capital of Russia

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On the Russian coat of arms, you can see the image of a two-headed eagle. However, in Russia, one can meet eagles with three heads, legs and wings. Especially often you can see them in the former capital of the country – St. Petersburg.

The fact is that the symbol of Russia is often placed on the highest points – spiers and roofs. If you install a two-headed eagle, then from many angles it will look quite different from the coat of arms. Therefore, an eagle with three heads, wings, and legs was designed (angled at 120 °). From a distance these eagles from any point seem to be two-headed as on the coat of arms. Photos by: Alexander Nikulin.

unique Russian eagles

Tags: Saint Petersburg city

Lermontovsky Uranium Mine #1 is a former uranium mining enterprise located on Mount Beshtau near the city of Pyatigorsk, about 200 km south-east of Stavropol. The mine was closed in 1975.

Today, it is a popular object with diggers and other extreme lovers. The official name “Mine #1” was used in the documents due to the high secrecy of this object. Mount Beshtau on Google Maps. Photos by: Vladimir Mulder.

explore radioactive tunnels

Tags: Abandoned · Pyatigorsk city · Stavropol krai

Before being awarded the hosting rights for the showpiece event of the football calendar, Leonid Slutsky revealed that the country doesn’t connect with the sport. He was backed up by the numbers in 2016, with declining attendances for the country’s biggest clubs such as CSKA Moscow and Spartak Moscow.

However, fast forward three years and those comments look almost laughable, as the success of the 2018 World Cup was overwhelming. The sport now dominates front pages, while the Russian hero at the tournament – Artem Dzyuba – has become a cultural hero among locals. But what signs have we seen nearly a year after the start of the 2018 World Cup, which shows that the event has had a lasting event on the country?

Credit: CN Traveller

after the World Cup 2018

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• Russia officially banned gambling in 1927, but the practice flourished after the demise of the Soviet Union
• However, gambling was restricted again in 2009, but allowed in four gaming zones
• Gambling is unlikely to be legalised under Putin’s rule, despite the clear economic gains

Russia plays a major role in world politics and culture. Yet the country still remains distinctly different to Western countries in terms of laws and governance. That’s especially the case when it comes to gambling – Russia’s gambling laws are complex and vastly different to those of the USA and UK.

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The Moscow Transport Museum has a unique collection of retro models of all types of Soviet urban transport. Here you can see a lot of different cars and trucks, taxis, trams, buses, trolleybuses that carried passengers along the streets of Moscow, as well as cars of various city services: police, firefighters, ambulance.

Let’s look only at a part of the presented vehicles. The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00. Address: Moscow, Rogozhskiy Val Ulitsa, 9/2. The Moscow Transport Museum on Google Maps. Photos by: Stanislav Konstantinov.

great technical museum

Tags: Moscow city · museum · Soviet past

This year, several dozen holiday venues are open in Moscow to celebrate the New Year 2019. Let’s take a look at how the very center of Moscow (Red and Manezhnaya squares) is decorated for the New Year holidays and still relatively free of celebrating people. Photos by: Stanislav Konstantinov.

New Year in Moscow

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The Guinness World Records has been collecting extreme records around the world since its inception in 1955. The following are the records held by Russian people and institutions.

World’s Tallest Photo Model

Ekaterina Lisina, formerly a basketball player, is the tallest photo model in the world. She was inducted into the Guinness World records in September last year. Ekaterina is 2.05 meters tall. Another record held by Lisina is having the longest legs on earth. Her lower body measures a staggering 1.32 meter tall.

Russia – the country of records

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