Russian President Vladimir Putin Mulling Online Casinos to Raise Wartime Funds
Posted on: January 28, 2026, 09:17h.
Last updated on: January 28, 2026, 09:51h.
- A close advisor to Vladimir Putin has recommended that Russia legalize iGaming
- The revenue from online casino gambling could help Russia fund its ongoing war with Ukraine
A top advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly recommended that the leader authorize online casino gambling to raise much-needed government funding.
The Kommersant, a national newspaper in Russia covering politics and business, was the first to report that Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov proposed that Putin consider iGaming.
The Russian economy and government are facing increased pressures from prolonged wartime spending. While the Kremlin isn’t facing an immediate threat of financial ruin, Putin has recently raised taxes on businesses and citizens to help offset declining oil revenues, stubborn inflation, and the ongoing military costs.
Siluanov has served as finance minister since 2011. He was appointed by Putin after the president dismissed Dmitry Medvedev for criticizing additional defense spending.
Russia Gambling
Russia limits gambling to four designated zones, though the Primorsky Krai area north of Vladivostok is the only one currently with operational casinos. Russia additionally allows its people to place sports bets online and play state-organized lotteries.
Bringing online casinos with slots and table games, Siluanov’s office estimates, could benefit the government with 100 billion rubles (US$1.31 billion) annually. Siluanov reportedly told Putin that a responsible framework would be put in place, should the president agree to legalize online casinos.
Proposed regulations would include a minimum age of 21 to participate. The Russian Unified Gambling Regulator would require operators to implement responsible gaming safeguards.
Illegal online casino gambling is rampant in Russia, with estimates suggesting the illicit market is worth three trillion rubles. Siluanov supposedly told Putin that a regulated market could help rid Russia of the more than 100 illegal online casinos targeting Russians.
If Putin agrees to bring online casinos into the regulated environment, Siluanov has recommended that the government require a 30% take of the gross gaming revenue.
Russia Economics
Putin, seeking to increase the Kremlin’s pocketbook, recently ordered that the value-added tax (VAT) be raised from 20% to 22% effective Jan. 1, 2026. The tax hike impacts most goods and services. The 2026 tax change also scrapped previous breaks for small businesses. The reduced 10% VAT on food, medicine, and children’s goods remains.
Russia’s 22% VAT is among the highest in the world. Only Hungary (27%), Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway (25%), Finland, Iceland, Greece (24%), and Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Portugal (23%) have higher sales taxes.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country is estimated to have spent more than $300 billion on the conflict. The Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, estimates that nearly 1.2 million Russian troops and 600K Ukrainian troops have been killed, wounded, or went missing since the fighting began.
President Donald Trump continues to try to play mediator. This week, reports surfaced that Trump hung a photograph of himself with Putin in a vestibule area of the White House connecting the West Wing to the residence.
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