Vladimir Putin approves new gambling zone in Altai Republic

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed off on the creation of a new gambling zone, the sixth within Russia. The Altai Republic is set to become Russia’s newest gambling zone following a decision in early May.

Russia fully prohibited gambling in 2009, but since then, five special gambling zones have been established. Now, the Altai Republic will be the sixth.

Undoubtedly, the government hopes the expansion of gambling will continue to bring in more tax revenue. Russia has felt a financial pinch from the ongoing war, and this isn’t its first gambling-centric attempt at mitigation. Earlier this year, reports emerged that it was considering legalizing online gambling.

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Gambling in the Altai Republic

The Altai Republic is a small republic in southern Siberia, bordering Kazakhstan and China. It has a small population of 210,000. More than half are ethnic Russians, with a significant minority of the indigenous Altai people making up about 37%.

It is one of Russia’s poorest areas. Along with the neighboring republic of Tuva, it comprises the country’s poorest general region.

The creation of the new gambling sector could generate as many as 1,000 jobs, which could go to some of the area’s poorest citizens. The existing ski resort of Manzherok is expected to be a part of the new gambling tourism sector once it is established. There is hope that the designation will revitalize Altai and make it more desirable for Russians tourists who may now consider it as a potential destination.

Existing Gambling Zones

The existing gambling zones in Russia are all near the edges of the country and bordering other nations. The location of each zone is strategic in order to try to attract international money.

• Crimea borders Ukraine and is the contentious zone over which the war with Ukraine is fought.

• Krasnodar is in the southern part of the country and is near Georgia and the Black Sea.

• Sochi is close to Krasnodar and even closer to the Georgia border.

• Primorye Krai is far in the east, bordering North Korea against the Sea of Japan.

• Kaliningrad is an enclave city within mainland Europe bordering Poland and Lithuania. At one time, there were attempts to make it a “Russian Las Vegas” shortly following the national gambling ban.

Of these gambling zones, Sochi is the most prominent and well-known internationally. Sochi has hosted several international poker tournaments over the years, including European Poker Tour Sochi, which ran from 2018 through 2021, attracting players from all over the world, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced the EPT to suspend the tournament indefinitely.

Russian Perception of Gambling Zones Changing

Russians largely held negative perceptions of the gambling zones after their establishment. The zones were seen as seedy places for degenerates. But the increase in tourism activities in the gambling zones has turned them into hotspot areas with a wide range of activities.

CEO of Altai Palace Hotel in the Altai Republic, Dmitry Belyanin, had a colorful quote to describe the changing perception of Russians:

It was like Dostoevsky. You came to a basement, lost all your money and shot yourself. Now guests have become more loyal to us. They are no longer afraid of us, they do not associate us with Sodom and Gomorrah. Visiting a gambling zone is now considered a cultural vacation. People have the idea that if you have been to a casino, it means you have some kind of certain social status.

Jeffrey McMillan

Poker Writer

Jeffrey is an Expert Sports and Poker Writer with poker being his specific scope for the better part of five years. He has worked in various capacities at the biggest poker events in the world, WSOP, EPT, local tournaments and more. He has worked with PokerNews, Poker.Org, 888poker and the WSOP itself through the years. Jeff is also a fervent follower of many sports, professional, collegiate and international, with a particular interest in tennis. He received a Master's in Sports Management from the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) and a Bachelors in the same field from Clemson University.