Russia Blocked 130,000 Gambling Sites in 2018

Russia's telecommunications authority Roskomnadzor blocked 130,000 gambling websites within the country last year, up more than double as many as were blocked the year prior.

The telecommunications regulator blocked 63,000 sites in 2017, and that number surged last year. Most of the betting sites blocked were offshore sites that appear to be closely related to the few sanctioned brands in the country, but others not linked to Russia were also blocked from being accessed. Even though 2019 is just getting kicked off, it appears that the blocked sites will only continue to grow. Recently, Russia forced Google to cooperate to block access to "unsavory" sites, threatening fines and banishment if they don't comply.

Gambling in Russia is very restricted, with the activity only legal at a handful of land casinos. Online betting is similarly restricted to a few sportsbetting choices. Despite this, there are a fair number of Russians who gamble online, although many of them are restricted to shady sites that offer rigged games.