In the early part of the 21st century, there was proliferation of casino gambling all across Russia. It is estimated that as many as 58 casinos may have been in operation by 2002. As a post-communist nation, Russia has always been concerned with the welfare of the nation, preferring to not be subject to weaknesses.
As the gambling industry was perceived to be ravaging the economic state of the nation, the Russian government set forth to legislate changes. At first, they tried to limit the proximity of existing casinos.
Unfortunately, that did little to stop the nation’s youth from missing school in favor of trying to secure a fortune with slots. As a final recourse, the Russian government finally decided in 2009 to shut down all gambling operations with the exception of land-based casinos in four regions: Altai, Krasnodar, Kaliningrad, and Primorsky.
As far as online gambling is concerned, there is no expectation that Russian residents will be able to play a casino online anytime soon. In recent news, the Russian government actually levied a substantial fine against Google for not properly filtering out access to online casinos for Russian residents.
As for the existing casinos, they are currently available in the four regions mentioned above. It’s notable that each region is known as an important tourist destination where land-based gambling access has great appeal to both tourist and residents in the local areas. Let’s take a look at the available casinos in these regions.
Altai Republic – As the smallest of the four regions, Altai sits in a beautiful part of Russian Siberia. During the warmer part of the year, this region has become a popular outdoor activity destination. The area provides first-class activities like hiking, bungee jumping, kayaking, horseback riding, etc.
During the brutally cold winters in Siberia, the Altai Palace Casino, located in Gorno-Altaysk, is a favorite land-based casino gambling destination. The casino was opened in 2014 and features live entertainment, fine dining, 100 slots and a selection of popular table games.
Krasnodar Krai & Sochi – While both these cities provide a traditional atmosphere for tourists, it’s Sochi that has the greatest appeal. This fine winter destination sits in the European part of Russia. The city is famous for hosting 2014 Winter Olympics.
The city’s featured casino is the Sochi Casino and Resort. Built as a traditional Las Vegas style casino and opened in 2017, the casino is the largest and newest one in Russia. The casino features lodging, evening live entertainment, multiple dining facilities and 560+ video slots, plus table games like roulette (not Russian roulette), blackjack and Hold’em Poker.
Kaliningrad Oblast – This region sits in one of the oldest and most traditional areas of Russia, close to the Polish border. The city is known for its old structures and museums. While several smaller casinos are available, the most popular casino would be the Sobranie Casino. The casino features live entertainment, a couple of busy poker rooms, table games and 350+ gaming machines.
Primorsky Krai – This region sits on the Pacific Coast of Russia, directly across from Japan. With its picturesque beaches and nice climate, this is a great tourist destination. While the area currently has only one small casino (Tigre de Cristal), there are several other casinos in the planning stages. Is it possible this could become the Russian Macau?
The Russian government has taken the stance that gambling is a direct threat to the welfare of the people and an economy that still faces significant challenges. Just the same, tourists can look forward to some nice casino gambling options in the aforementioned regions. In the future, it looks like there’s some exciting prospects on the drawing board.
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