Russia Introduces National Gambling Self-Exclusion Register

Russia has taken a further step toward strengthening player protection after lawmakers approved legislation creating a nationwide self-exclusion register for gambling.

The State Duma passed the bill in its second and third readings, confirming that the new system will take effect on 1 September 2026. Once implemented, the register will allow individuals to voluntarily bar themselves from gambling through a single, centralised process overseen by the Unified Gambling Regulator (ERAI).

Under the new framework, Russian citizens will be able to submit an official request to ERAI to block their access to gambling services. Operators will then be legally required to refuse bets from registered individuals, stop sending them promotional material and prevent them from entering land-based gambling venues.

The self-exclusion mechanism is designed to be binding. Players will not be able to cancel their exclusion once it begins and removal from the register will only be possible after the selected exclusion period ends. While individuals may apply for early removal, this option will only become available one year after they have been added to the list.

Ongoing concerns over illegal gambling

Although the register is aimed at reinforcing protections within Russia’s regulated gambling sector, industry observers and policymakers remain wary of the scale of unlicensed activity in the market.

Authorities have carried out numerous enforcement actions against illegal gambling operations, alongside broader efforts to disrupt supporting infrastructure. These measures include blocking access to offshore gambling websites and targeting payment channels, including cryptocurrency services, that facilitate unregulated betting.

President Vladimir Putin has consistently expressed opposition to gambling expansion and earlier in his presidency established the Russian Civic Chamber as a civil society body. That organisation has now been tasked with supporting the government’s wider crackdown on illegal gambling.

Evgeny Masharov, a senior member of the Civic Chamber, has previously warned that illicit operators hold a structural advantage over licensed firms due to their lack of regulatory obligations.

Speaking to Russian news agency TASS, Masharov said illegal operators benefit from fewer barriers to entry for players, noting that they often bypass identification and age verification requirements. He added that simplified gameplay and gamified mechanics have helped unlicensed platforms attract new users.

There are also concerns that the introduction of a national self-exclusion system could unintentionally drive vulnerable players toward the black market. International experience shows that illegal operators frequently target individuals who have excluded themselves from regulated environments, raising questions about how effectively the new register can protect players without parallel enforcement against unlicensed gambling.