PARI Bookmaker: "The Reduction Can Be Minimized by Several Times"

Publication date: 22 December 2025

The start of 2026 could be a turning point for the Russian betting industry. Bookmakers are facing a new challenge: the tax burden will become heavier, betting on credit will be banned, and players will gain a tool for self-exclusion. These steps will directly impact companies’ financial performance and tighten control over the industry. A wave of market consolidation is expected. Small operators may not withstand the pressure, making way for larger ones. Ruslan Medved, CEO of the bookmaker PARI, discusses the upcoming challenges and consequences in an interview with 3S.INFO.

Looking at the cumulative effect of all the new regulations, including the tax on GGR, increased targeted deductions, and the profit tax, companies in the legal sector could see profitability potentially decline by up to 50% without adjustments to their business models, and even higher under certain scenarios. This is mathematically explainable: costs are rising faster than revenue, especially in a market experiencing a degree of stagnation.

However, it is crucial to emphasize that this scenario assumes no changes are made. Those companies capable of swiftly restructuring marketing, optimizing traffic acquisition, revising their bonus structure, and abandoning ineffective sponsorship activities will significantly reduce the pressure on their business. In some cases, the reduction can be minimized by several times.

Moreover, with the introduction of the corporate income tax for bookmaking companies, it is becoming clear that the structure of advertising expenses in the market will be revised. According to current legislation, the income tax can be reduced only within the limit of 1% of standardized advertising costs. Everything that exceeds this limit is not accounted for, and this is where the most important part begins. The industry has many non-standardized advertising expenses that do genuinely reduce the income tax. However, not all common tools fall under this list. And, crucially, many major sponsorship contracts and integrations that existed in the market will not be included. In practice, this means that companies will have to finance part of their advertising and sponsorship activities from their net profit, rather than classifying them as expenses. As a result, such tools will become significantly more expensive for the business.

The market will inevitably become more rational. The focus will shift to precise analytics, flexible planning, and evaluating investment efficiency. During this challenging adaptation period, companies are capable of creating the conditions for continued healthy competition and sustainable development.

Want to understand how the rules of the game for betting will change in 2026? In our article “Betting in Russia: Prospects for 2026,” you’ll find a detailed breakdown of the new laws, an assessment of their consequences for bookmakers and players, and exclusive comments from leading analysts.