The passage of a new gambling bill in Russia is likely to be stormy, according to industry insiders in the country.
The bill is due for consideration by the Russian Parliament later this year, but the annual US$5-6bn business which is the estimate from experts, is only the turnover in Moscow alone, according to one deputy in parliament: "It is just the tip of the iceberg."
According to a local radio station which commissioned a survey on the subject, only 19 per cent of those over 18 approved of slots; 52 per cent said their number should be reduced and access to them restricted; and 26 per cent wanted a total ban.
Gamblers Anonymous meetings are now second only to Alcoholics Anonymous in terms of attendance and machines in Moscow can be seen in a wide variety of different locations, including bakers’ shops, pharmacies and grocery shops.
The Russian Public Chamber has calculated that Moscow has one slot machine for every 300 people. But the principal call from lawmakers and experts alike appears to be for the formation of sensible laws to control and police gambling, but to permit it. Some local authorities are not following the thinking of their federal colleagues however.
Chechnya, which has major law and order problems of its own, has completely banned gambling, while North Ossetia has banned slots and the regions of Ryazan Tula, Lipetsk and Belgorod has moved gambling halls out of the urban areas.