Publication date: 29 Nov 2021
In the autumn of 2021, the conditions for betting shops in Russia have changed: the Unified Gambling Regulator came into force. In November market players are now ready to take a new stock…
- You can also read: new blocking rules for gambling sites came into force in Russia
They want more money from Russian bookmakers!
Russians are increasingly confronted with the problem of compulsive gambling, but there are no relevant organisations to help gamblers in the country. Moreover, most people addicted to gambling in Russia cannot afford expensive treatment, as uncontrolled addiction to gambling invariably leads to financial ruin.
This is why in autumn 2021 the list of “20 ideas for Russia” is completed with new suggestions concerning struggle against compulsive gambling addiction. Its author Dmitry Davydov wants to oblige representatives of gambling market to finance organizations which help gambling addicts.
To prevent spread of addiction in Russia it is necessary to provide high quality psychological support for addicts and their families, which can be used by every person who needs it. To achieve such goal the author of the project suggests to oblige legal operators of the gambling market to finance private companies and charitable organizations, which work in the sphere of fighting against gambling addiction. For instance, to provide financial support to institutions which give counselling to addicts, conduct educational and preventive activities, treat addiction or carry out scientific research.
Before directing funding to an organisation, the expert suggests that companies should be checked against several criteria. Such organisations must have more than one year of experience in specific activities, have no direct or indirect links with gambling industry operators, and work in accordance with the requirements of the market regulator. The financed companies must also report on the use of the funds and ensure that they are used for their intended purpose.
For comparison, the expert cites the system of sports support by bookmakers already in force in the Russian Federation.
At the same time in the State Duma there was passed the first reading of the bill that provides for the introduction of Fan ID. It is an electronic document that will make attendance at sporting events personified. By this document it will be possible to identify the participant or the spectator of official competitions, matches and other events. The so-called Fan ID, according to Minister of Sport Oleg Matytsin, will increase the safety of sporting events and ensure public order.
The Fan ID system has been used in the Russian Federation before. For the first time it happened in 2014, during the Winter Olympics in Sochi. The fan passport was reintroduced in 2017 during the FIFA Confederations Cup and in 2018 during the FIFA World Cup.
How much did bookmakers in Russia pay?
Information on the amounts of sports payouts from bookmakers has emerged. The statistics were provided by the Telegram channel “That Austrian” and take into account open data on land-based gambling establishments and online activities.
- The leader is Fonbet, which also has the largest percentage of the gambling market at 37.9%.
- In second place is Winline with 17.3%.
- 1xStavka – 11.3%.
The growth dynamics of contributions of the participants in the list is predominantly positive, except for Liga Stavok, which lowered its intensity in the third quarter.
There is no data on BetBoom and Olimp for the second and third quarters, as they did not publish their statistics.
Other bookmakers licensed in Russia – GG.bet, LEON, Bettery, Pin-Up, Zenit, Marathon, Tennisi, Panorama – are not included in the table, as they paid the minimum amount or close to it.
According to the data provided, legal establishments earned around 15.4bn roubles each month in autumn.
It should be reminded that the old rules on deductions were in force until the third quarter of 2021 inclusive. Now, thanks to revised legislation, the entry into force of the Unified Regulator, which is responsible for gambling, as well as an increase in the number of deductions, the situation on the betting market should change significantly.
Bookmakers start and win!
As in any professional activity for bookmakers, there are their own competitions, prizes and awards, both national and international. Winning any prize is not only proof of a betting company’s performance, but also recognition among peers and clients.
Recently in Belarus, in the competition for leadership in popular goods and services categories, the results of which were summed up in November 2021, BC Parimatch received two awards at once. The bookmaker won gold medals in the sports betting and online casino categories. In addition, Parimatch became one of the winners of Liga Liderov, a prestigious Belarusian business ranking.
Earlier Russian BC BetBoom had been awarded as the “Best Bookmaker 2021” and won the prestigious “Sports and Russia – 2021” prize along with PJSC Gazprom, PJSC Rostelecom, PJSC Uralkali and others. By the way, Parimatch Russia also became a laureate and was evaluated in two nominations for the best sponsorship projects.
It has become known that 1xBet has been nominated in seven categories of the SBC Awards 2021 – the most respected international industry competition. The results will be announced in London on 14 December. It is worth noting that last year the bookmaker won the Cyber Sports Bookmaker category. But the leader of the ranking was Bet365, which only this year received a license from the Russian Federal Tax Service.
New bookmakers‘ priorities: protecting websites from cybercriminals
According to the report of American corporation Cloudflare, from July to September 2021 the global number of hacker attacks increased by 44%, and gambling sites, and especially betting sites are in the priority of cybercriminals.
“Hackers’ interest in betting platforms is old and is not a secret to anyone, but the increase in Internet betting in the current reality of quarantine restrictions led to an increase in cybercrime,” said Darina Denisova, president of SRO “Association of betting shops”. As a result, cyber defence has become a priority for the BC and will be a priority for bookmakers for the foreseeable future.
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