Economic bases for the development of gambling business in Russia

2.1 Problem analysis gambling business in Russia

IN public opinion the gambling business is somewhere between the drug trade and the arms trade. Nevertheless, according to the estimates of the American Association of Gaming Business Problems, approximately 14% of the Russian population are its clients to one degree or another (for comparison: in the USA - up to 68%). At the same time, according to the generally accepted practice in civilized countries, a vice that cannot be eradicated must be "organized and led."

On present stage economic relations most of countries has developed a clear position in relation to the gambling business, legislatively delineating the boundaries of its existence or completely banning gambling establishments. The question "to be or not to be a gambling business in Russia, and if so, what kind?" remains open, causing heated debate in State Duma and government circles. However, in public opinion there are opposing points of view regarding the existence gambling.

Arguments for"

1. Gambling as a form of entertainment

2. Gambling - source budget funds and employment

3. The gambling industry is the most important source of funding for government programs

Arguments against"

1. Social aspect perception of gambling, ludomania

3. Gambling and crime

So, on January 1, 2007, the “long-awaited” Federal Law of December 29, 2006 N 244-FZ “On State Regulation of Organizing and Conducting Gambling and on Amending Certain Legislative Acts” came into force Russian Federation"(Law N 244-FZ). Corresponding changes were made by the said Law to the second part of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law “On Licensing Certain Types of Activities”, the final changes will enter into force on June 30, 2009.

According to Art. 71 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation is: regulation and protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen (clause "c"); establishing legal framework single market(p. "g"). Article 8 of the Constitution proclaims the unity of the economic space and the freedom of economic activity; Art. 34 guarantees the right of everyone to free use their abilities and property for entrepreneurial and other economic activities not prohibited by law, including the right to engage in certain types activities on the basis of a special permit (license) (paragraph 3, part 1, article 49 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). According to Art. 1 of Law N 244-FZ, the stipulated legislative restrictions on the implementation of gambling activities are established "in order to protect the morality, rights and legitimate interests of citizens." It is puzzling why other aleatory (risky) transactions, such as: lottery, some exchange futures transactions (forward, futures), are also not regulated precisely in order to protect morality?

Instead of all this, they ended up installing gambling zones - Altai region, Primorsky Krai, Kaliningrad region, as well as on the border Krasnodar Territory And Rostov region(part 2 of article 9). At the same time, the creation of gambling zones on the lands of settlements is not allowed (part 5 of article 5), which is in conflict with the land code, since all other categories of land can adjoin the lands of settlements. Gambling zones must be created before July 1, 2007. (Part 9, Article 16). The deadline for the transfer of all casinos and gaming equipment to gambling "reservations" is expected before June 30, 2009. Only on the territory of the gaming zone, it is possible to carry out gambling activities, which actually drives legal business activities into the shadow sector, which subsequently deprives the state treasury of significant tax revenues. Apparently, the deputies consciously came to the conclusion that “negative social consequences from the gambling business, expressed in high tension among citizens who are dissatisfied with the rampant gambling addiction”, the state is much more important than the large income from it.

The adoption of the Law N 244-FZ does not solve the problem of "rampant gambling in Russia" for the simple reason that now the gambling business from a legal, taxable one will turn into a shadow one. where there will be no state standards, which will lead to a tragedy for the players, since a business cannot be unprofitable, especially a shadow one, underground casinos will receive income from the broken lives of people addicted to gambling. It is also impossible to solve the problem of the Internet casino, because the server on which the casino site is located may be located on the territory of the country where the law this activity is allowed, and access via the Internet to the Internet casino is possible from anywhere the globe, including from Russia. Entrepreneurs and labor collectives of enterprises in the gambling industry express concern about the progress in implementing the provisions of Law No. 244-FZ, therefore it is advisable to start preparing materials for amending the current legislation in order to create an effectively functioning system of regulation, supervision and control of gambling activities, taking into account the characteristics of the industry. To ensure the “viability” of this law, the following adjustments are possible:

1. It is necessary to determine the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on the interpretation of Part 3 of Art. 55 of the Constitution. “The rights and freedoms of man and citizen may be limited by federal law only to the extent necessary to protect the fundamentals constitutional order, morality, health, rights and legitimate interests of other persons, ensuring the defense of the country and the security of the state. It is necessary to highlight the line by which to determine what corresponds to morality and what is immoral, since alcoholism is no less immoral than gambling. But, for some reason, officials are in no hurry to close the nearest kiosk where they sell alcohol. It is necessary to interpret part 3 of Art. 55 of the Constitution, so that this article is effective in relation to the Law N 244-FZ.

2. The simplest, most efficient and effective way would be to create a natural state monopoly on the gambling business. This will solve all the problems at once: there will be no need to create gambling zones, the underground gambling business will disappear, all income from the gambling business, and not just taxes, will begin to flow into the budget, it will be possible to control and rehabilitate gambling addicts.

3. Most gambling establishments in the world are tied to hotels, tourist centers, resorts, metropolitan areas or areas near them. Based on this, it would be reasonable to consider the principle of zoning and the principle of combining mining and tourism activities. The maximum efficiency of the zoning principle can be achieved using the infrastructure of the tourism and hospitality industry. This approach allows stimulating the inflow of investments in the tourism infrastructure at the expense of the companies involved in gambling activities.

4. Public relations on the organization and conduct of gambling and betting are diverse and complex. They are regulated by various government bodies. It is important to determine the formation procedure, full powers and responsibilities, develop appropriate documents that ensure the functioning of such a body involved in licensing gambling activities. It is expedient for supervision and control over gambling activity to create an authorized body within the framework of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation with a sufficient degree of independence.

How the fate of the gambling business will ultimately develop in Russia is still difficult to judge, but we can say that the role of the state in ensuring its existence is extremely important. Representatives of this business area believe that this initiative will allow the Russian gambling business to reach new stage cooperation with the state in the field of special legislation, improve the quality of the organization of gambling in Russia and improve its reputation in the eyes of the authorities and society.

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Economic bases for the development of gambling business in Russia

Gambling business is a legal way of earning money by using the phenomenon of the game. The gambling business includes: - gambling establishments (casinos, clubs...

Economic bases for the development of gambling business in Russia

Economic bases for the development of gambling business in Russia

Economic bases for the development of gambling business in Russia

Since July 1, 2009, a ban on gambling establishments has been introduced in Russia, with the exception of specially designated areas. Some entrepreneurs honestly closed their business, but some decided to deceive the law and went underground...

In the Russian Federation, the activities of bookmakers, sweepstakes, casinos are controlled by law. Failure to comply with the laws is considered an administrative violation, and the owner of an illegal gambling outlet faces a fine or correctional labor. Let's take a closer look at what the law says about casinos and bookmakers in Russia, is it possible to organize such a business now, is a license required?

Despite some restrictions regarding gambling in Russia, it thrives on the territory of the country, as the demand is high. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the gambling business is considered to be a type of entrepreneurial activity based on earning income from winnings. It exists in these forms:

• Casino. As a rule, these are rooms with gaming tables and machines. The profit received from the activities of the casino makes the entrepreneur the organizer of the gambling business.
• Totalizators and bookmakers. Sports betting and games also belong to the gambling business. Bookmakers accept money rates to various sporting events. The business is based on predicting the outcome of the game.

According to Article 9 of Federal Law 244, gambling business is allowed in the following territories of the Russian Federation:

• Republic of Crimea;
• Altai region;
• Kaliningrad region;
• Primorsky Krai;
• Krasnodar region.

Gaming points in other regions of Russia are considered illegal and are subject to liquidation. All casinos and bookmakers must have a special permit (license) to operate, otherwise they are also subject to closure.

Online gambling business

With the spread of the Internet, online casinos and bookmakers began to emerge. According to the latest data, gambling is one of the most profitable segments of the network. The following sites are popular:

• Gaming Club;
• Volcano Russia;
• Jackpot City;
• NetGame
• 777Planet.

On these resources, the visitor can play standard games: roulette, slot machines (slots), poker and more.

Despite the fact that in most of Russia the gambling business is officially prohibited, the law is not in force to influence the spread of casinos and sweepstakes on the Internet. Foreign sites can work without problems on the territory of the Russian Federation, because of this, some online casinos are disguised as foreign casinos and bookmakers. For example, it is not forbidden by law to obtain a license from the gambling commission of Malta or Antigua and Barbuda, and with this permission to organize an online casino.

taxes

Starting from 2018, the government of the Russian Federation plans to gradually raise the tax on the gambling business. IN current year figures have doubled compared to previous years. Officials explain this by the fact that previously gambling taxes were not indexed, so now it is planned to catch up.

In the table, we will consider in more detail what taxes exist for the gambling business and their size.

Organization of gambling business

The gambling market has always been profitable, as the number of people who want to try their luck does not decrease every year. However, organizing your own casino or bookmaker's office is not an easy task, if we talk about legal activities. It should be understood that large investments are needed to start (obtaining a license, buying equipment, renting a room). Let's take a step-by-step look at how to organize a gambling business in Russia:

1. Obtaining a license. This is a mandatory item if you do not want problems with the law in the future. How to get permission to open your own game point, we will tell further in the article.
2. Search and room rental. It should be noted that a casino or bookmaker's office should not be located in the same building as educational or recreational institutions, as well as in a residential building. To get started, you can take a small non-residential premises area up to 200 square meters, in the future, if the business is successful, you can expand.
3. Purchase equipment and furniture. First of all, these are tables and chairs, cloth (for casinos), bar counters. Of the gambling equipment, you will need slot machines, gaming tables, accessories for poker and other gambling games if you plan to open a casino. For a bookmaker's office, you need to purchase a totalizator cash desk.
4. Hiring. The number of people working at the point depends on the scale of the business. For small casinos and bookmakers, a few employees are enough. In large entertainment establishments it will take at least a few dozen people. Please note that all employees must be of legal age.

To organize a gambling business from scratch, you need to have start-up capital. We will talk about the amount of initial expenses later in the article.

Opening a gambling business on the Internet

According to statistics, about 5 billion people use the Internet every day, many of them love to gamble. Therefore, online casinos thrive and make maximum profits. It should be noted that in this segment this moment there is already quite a lot of competition, so you need to approach the organization of the project with particular scrupulousness. Opening an online casino or a bookmaker's website includes several stages:

• Purchase license. Having a permit to organize gambling allows you to further expand your business and avoid problems with the law.
• Analyze market. See what is missing in domestic online casinos. For example, most Russian sites offer roulette games, but there are practically no poker and slots. Think about what features can set you apart from your competitors.
• Purchase hosting. If you are planning to organize a serious project, then you need hosting at least so that users can use your site uninterruptedly, and all software is protected from hacker attacks; protection against Ddos attacks, use bulletproof hosting.
• Purchase gaming software. Modern online gambling games are complex systems that require not only smooth operation, but also development, programming, design, drawing details, etc. High-quality software will help attract more customers to your site;
• Implementation payment system . Most often for payment on gambling sites they use bank cards Visa/MasterCard or electronic wallets (WebMoney, Qiwi, PayPal). You will have to negotiate with representatives of payment systems through technical support.

To create a casino or betting shop online, you need to negotiate with programmers and web developers. Remember that the quality of the site is the key to the success of the gambling business on the Internet.

License

Unfortunately, obtaining a license in Russia is impossible, since gambling is officially prohibited in the country (with the exception of five regions). The legal solution in such a situation is to purchase an offshore permit. You can purchase a license in the following countries:

After obtaining a license, the organization of a casino or bookmaker's office (including on the Internet) will be completely legal. Issuing a permit is not a cheap procedure, but without it it is difficult to recruit customers and further promote the business.

Gambling business income

All over the world, casinos and bookmakers are considered the most profitable niche receiving income. It is difficult to calculate how much money the owners of sweepstakes and gambling establishments in the Russian Federation receive monthly, since there are no official statistics. In addition, the amount of income depends on many factors:

• How much big business. In small bookmakers, the turnover Money amounts to several tens of thousands of rubles a month, while large casinos receive monthly income of 2-3 million rubles or more.
• Business type. Bookmakers and casinos are equally popular in the Russian Federation, but you should take into account the competition. If you are going to open a project, similar to which already exist in the city or the Internet, the level of income may not be high.

The popularity of gambling makes the business profitable in the eyes of potential investors. With the right organization of the project and a good marketing strategy, the profit will be significant.

Illegal gambling business

Gambling business is considered illegal in the absence of permission for its organization. According to Article 171.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, gambling and betting without a license is punishable by:

• Penalties in the amount of up to 500 thousand rubles;
• Prison term up to 5 years.

Since obtaining a license is an expensive procedure, in Lately cases of illegal organization of gambling business have become more frequent. You should remember about criminal liability and act within the framework of the law.

Experience of Western countries

The governments of other countries have different attitudes towards the organization and conduct of gambling:

• USA. As in Russia, in the United States of America, casinos and sweepstakes are allowed only in certain cities: Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In the States, a license is issued only to organize certain forms of gambling establishments: sweepstakes for horse races, Indian casinos, card clubs, lotteries and charity casinos.
• Japan. Gambling is not officially allowed in Japan, however criminal gangs(yakuza) organize underground games of mahjong, cards, roulette. For people who break the law, punishment is provided: a fine of up to 1 million yen or a prison term of up to 15 years.
• France. Another leading country in terms of the number of operating casinos. Popular games: French roulette, slots, poker. So, in Paris, the World Poker Tour tournament is held annually, in which any adult can participate. A license to organize and conduct gambling is issued by the Ministry of Justice after checking the equipment and premises for compliance with all legal norms.
• Germany. The country does not prohibit the organization of casinos and sweepstakes, however, there are no clear rules regarding gambling in the legislation. Germany is divided into 16 districts, each of which separately sets the criteria for obtaining a license and the amount of the gambling tax. The age at which you can visit gambling establishments also differs: for example, in Baden-Baden, entry to the casino is allowed only from 21 years old, while in Berlin - from 18 years old.
• China. Gambling is prohibited almost throughout the country, with the exception of the province of Macau: there are the largest Chinese casinos, some of which are over 100 years old. Run lotteries and bet on horse races, sports events, animal competitions are possible after obtaining a license.

Majority Western countries they are loyal to the organization of the gambling business, because taxes from income go to the state treasury. At the same time, violation of gambling laws is severely punished: in most cases, fines, sometimes - a prison term.

The turning point in the development of the gambling business in Russia can be considered 2009, when a law was passed that seriously restricted the operation of casinos and slot machines in the country. In fact, they were “locked up” only in four regions of the country:

• Kaliningrad region.
• Altai.
• Primorsky Krai.
• Krasnodar region.

Everything that will be said below about taxes on slot machines and casinos automatically means gambling only in these regions, because in the rest of the country it is considered illegal to organize something like this.

Gambling business tax

It is this tax that is considered the main one when it comes to casinos, slot machines, as well as sweepstakes and bookmakers. The tax amount is calculated using a simple formula: the number of objects of taxation multiplied by the tax rate.

Despite the simplicity of this formula, the actual calculation is difficult for two reasons.

The first is the fact that the tax rate is set by the region in which a particular company is registered. Federal legislation establishes only the framework:

• From one casino table - from 25 to 125 thousand rubles a month.
• From one slot machine - from 1.5 to 7.5 thousand rubles per month.
• From one processing center of a totalizator or bookmaker - from 25 to 125 thousand rubles per month.
• From one cash desk of a totalizator or bookmaker 5-7 thousand rubles a month.

As you can see, the scope is wide, so for each company in the field of gambling, it is of paramount importance in which region it is located, what are the coefficients adopted by the regional government, and what are the plans of this government to change them.

The second reason for the complexity of calculating the amount of tax is the difficulty with what is considered a “taxation unit”. Differences in the laws allow in some cases to consider the whole institution as a unit, in others - each slot machine. Such contradictions are especially evident when it comes to online business.

License fee

Since a license in the Russian Federation is issued indefinitely, it is paid only once during the existence of a gambling company. To issue a license, you will have to pay 30 thousand rubles, for reissuing 10 thousand. Re-registration is carried out only in case of any changes in the company itself.

income tax

Everything is standard here: like any company, representatives of the gambling business are required to pay 13% of their profits. In most cases, the declaration is submitted quarterly.

Property tax

This tax is relevant, first of all, for owners of casinos and slot machine halls in gambling zones permitted by law. Such establishments simply have to look chic, which means they involve high costs. For betting shops and sweepstakes, when all “property”, except for a few offices, is Internet servers, this tax does not involve large costs.

How Russian taxes on gambling business are lifting for business

Are they a factor hindering its development? Several trends can be seen in this regard.

First, in the Russian Federation it is extremely low rate on income tax 13%. For comparison, in many European countries it exceeds 50%, in France up to 80%.

Wherein main problem gambling business is a tax paid from gaming tables, slot machines, cash desks and processing centers.

According to the legislator's plan, only those companies that are able to receive a large income should work in the gambling business. Having a casino hall with 10 tables, the owner cannot receive an income of 100 thousand rubles per month in order to calmly pay 13% from it, since the very fact of owning such a hall implies a monthly payment of 250 thousand to 1.25 million rubles.

Therefore, the law contributes to the “sinking” of small companies and strengthening the positions of large ones, which, moreover, are more transparent and easier to collect taxes from. This is all the more true when it comes to gambling zones permitted by law, which cannot accommodate an infinite number of businessmen, and this further increases competition.

Innovations in taxation for the gambling business

Serious changes in the laws that regulate this area are not currently foreseen. The legislator focuses on:

• Eliminate discrepancies in relation to the objects of taxation, which were mentioned above.
• To improve the collection of taxes, including the strengthening of punitive measures for their non-payment.
• Reduce the number of illegal gambling establishments in the country.

Even with some difficulties for the gambling establishments of the country, in relation to casinos and slot machine halls, these difficulties are compensated by the constant presence of a huge number of players, including those from abroad, in gambling zones. And betting shops and sweepstakes are looking forward to 2018, which, due to the World Cup, will make it possible to make huge profits, which should cover all expenses, even taking into account taxes.

Gambling business in Russia and prospects for its development

Fedorenko Elena Andreevna,

post-graduate student of the Baltic Federal University. I. Kant.

The fact that the game is something more than an empty occupation out of boredom is evidenced by its rich and ancient history. When exactly gambling appeared in the world, historians find it difficult to answer. Gambling has been part of civilization for thousands and thousands of years.

The first gambling houses appeared in the Roman Empire. Their birth is attributed to the last Roman emperor Tarquinius the Proud. He came up with the idea to collect all the players in one place, so that it would be easier to take taxes from them. Plus, it was easier to keep order. The Roman authorities built a large room where they made bets on the sweepstakes and played dice. Almost two thousand years later, the idea of ​​Tarquinius was developed by the Italian, Cardinal Giulio Mazarini, who opened a casino in Paris in 1765, in addition to the gambling known at that time, there was also an innovation - the “wheel of fortune”. So in those days it was called roulette. Its invention is attributed to the famous French scientist, philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal.

In Russia, it is generally accepted that gambling, including cards, appeared no earlier than the 17th century. Almost immediately gambling card games were banned - in the famous "Code" of 1649, card games are mentioned in the section "On robbery and tatin (thieves') affairs." Gamblers were ordered to whip and cut off fingers and hands, but over time, the attitude of the authorities to card games became more loyal. Already under Peter I, gamblers were punished with fines.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, by decree of 1761, divided card games into gambling and commercial (respectively prohibited and permitted). All banking games were forbidden, i.e.: point, lottery, shtos, roulette, tote and toss. The category of permitted - commercial - included games where the player's winnings depended not only on the player's luck, but also on his abilities: bridge, preference. Later, under Catherine II, a tax on cards was introduced in favor of orphanages.

IN late XIX century, a fine was imposed for organizing prohibited gambling in the amount of up to three thousand rubles, and for a repeated violation - imprisonment up to three or (in case of repeated arrest) up to six months. gambling people enough always and everywhere. Our country has never been an exception to this rule. Racecourse sweepstakes and card games were very popular in tsarist Russia. Grand dukes staked estates and palaces, beggars - the last pennies.

In the reign of Emperor Alexander I, the fight against gambling continues and is confirmed by new decrees and resolutions.

On November 7, 1917, power changed in Petrograd, in the history of the country began new era. From the point of view of the Bolsheviks, gambling had no place in the life of the new society. Already on November 24, 1917, the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee issued a decree on the closure of all gambling clubs and brothels. But, all the establishments mentioned in this decree simply went illegal.

Gambling was rehabilitated during the NEP years - on November 9, 1921, the Council of Labor and Defense of the RSFSR officially allowed the sale of playing cards. Casinos and gambling clubs began to open everywhere.

On a legal basis, the gambling business lasted only two years. Already at the end of 1923, a sociological study of the life of the Petrograd workers was carried out. It was concluded that card games have become the main form of leisure. This situation was unacceptable for the new government. A special commission was immediately set up to combat alcohol and gambling. At first, gambling houses and casinos were closed in working-class areas, and in May 1928 the Council of People's Commissars issued a decree on the widespread closure of gambling establishments, Article 201 "for the organization of gambling" appeared in the Criminal Code.

gambling business on long years became an underground, criminal business. Sports betting and gambling were finally legalized only after the collapse of Soviet Union.

But there were a few legal options left. One of them was sweepstakes at the hippodromes. Nobody thought to ban them - it was a stable source of income. GU KON (Main Department of Horse Breeding and Horse Breeding) organized the first races at the Moscow Hippodrome already in 1921.

Another type of legal gambling was all kinds of lotteries. First All-Russian lottery was carried out all in the same 1921 - then famine raged in the south of the country and the proceeds went to the purchase of food. And then lotteries began to be held and public organizations and individual businesses. And in 1976, the most popular Soviet lottery, Sportloto, was launched. All income from this people's lottery went to finance the sport.

Bridge was another outlet for gamblers. It was categorized as an intellectual sport and was not banned. In 1940, the Baltic republics became part of the Soviet Union, where bridge was very popular. International bridge tournaments have been held in Riga since 1934, but in 1973 the Sports Committee decided to close bridge clubs. Bridge was only recognized as a sport again in 1990.

The modern gambling business of new Russia is no more than 20 years old. A lot has changed over the years, in particular the quality of the services provided in the casino and the level of specialists employed in the industry.

A huge role in the development of a civilized gambling market in Russia was played by the August crisis of 1998, when a turning point occurred in the gambling sector, and throughout the country. The time for “easy money” has passed, people have become much less likely to lose and are more demanding about the level of service. Those casino top managers who managed to reorient their activities to a more civilized and client-oriented one not only managed to stay on the market, but also rose much higher than their pre-crisis level.

In the Russian Federation, the gambling industry was one of the most dynamically developing. The services of gambling infrastructure enterprises are necessary for a fairly wide range of consumers. Abroad, about 10% of the population consider visiting a casino or a slot machine hall to be a good vacation, a way to get distracted and relax, and at the same time also win. In Europe and in the New World, the gambling industry is a sector of the economy, the same as tourism or real estate transactions. It is part of a huge entertainment industry, such as cinemas or amusement parks. And all these companies work exclusively in the legislative field, i.e. the activities of companies operating in the field are legal in the full sense of the word, they actively and in a very considerable amount pay taxes.

The attitude to gambling, lotteries in society is ambiguous. Gambling is a risk-based winning agreement concluded by two or more participants between themselves or with the organizer. gambling establishment according to the rules established by the organizer of the gambling establishment.

Gambling is a threat. The person who got into gambling addiction, is treated as sick. But what can the state do here? Completely isolate a person from the services of gambling establishments? It's impossible, and it's useless. Prohibitive measures have never led to a good result.

The way out in this situation was the strengthening of state regulation of the gambling business. In accordance with the adopted bill, all gambling establishments have been moved to uninhabited territories. There are only four such zones - in the Kaliningrad region, on the border of the Krasnodar Territory and the Rostov Region, in the Primorsky and Altai Territories. By decision of the deputies, the bill came into force in the second half of 2009.

An attempt to restrict the activities of the casino was made in the United States. The reason for the restrictions was the difficulty of controlling financial flows in this case.

Unlike foreigners Russian business sees no commercial prospects from the implementation of bills adopted in the Russian Federation. Four zones are still unattractive. A ticket to Kaliningrad costs the same as to Riga or Kyiv, and it makes no sense to fly from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Altai either. It is possible that they will play on the border of the Krasnodar Territory and the Rostov Region, but horse races are preferred in the southern regions. There remains Primorye with a large number of Chinese population. There is a possibility that gambling Chinese will play roulette, because their casinos are prohibited.

Tatarstan could become the fifth federal gambling reserve. At the end of July 2008, the first casino in this municipality was opened in the Parus cultural and entertainment complex in Kamskiye Polyany. According to the administration's forecasts, the expansion of the gambling business would create many new jobs for the residents of Kamskiye Polyany. Kamskiye Polyany is one of two territories originally allocated in Tatarstan for gambling facilities, along with the Kazan equestrian center. However, according to federal law, the placement of gambling establishments on the territory of sports facilities is prohibited.

After the closure of all gaming halls in Tatarstan, including casinos, people began to go to play in the neighboring Republic of Mari El (the city of Volzhsk), Nizhny Novgorod etc. As an alternative to closing gambling halls in Kazan, entrepreneurs are opening computer clubs (virtual Internet bar) where people can come and play the game cleanly without losing their money and position. This is in high demand among the population (players).

Law "On state regulation of activities for organizations and gambling” established a number of requirements forgambling establishments andgaming equipment. Thus, the requirements forgambling equipment. It must be inproperty of the organizer of gambling, andthe winning percentage of each slot machine must be notless than 90%. Standards were also set forthe minimum area of ​​the casino service area andslot machine hall (respectively, 800 sq. m. and 100 sq. m), as well as the number ofthem gaming tables (not less than 10) and slot machines (notless than 50). The net asset value of the organizer of gambling should not beless than 600 million rubles. (casinos, slot machine halls) and100 million rubles (bookmakers, sweepstakes). was installed anda number of other stringent requirements. gambling establishments, notmeeting all these requirements, were to cease their activities before07/01/2007. And those gambling operators who met all the criteria had to prepare forcomplete transfer of their enterprises tofour reservations with July 1, 2009.

According to the law, withJuly 1, 2009 the activities of all gambling establishments duringall settlements of Russia, was discontinued. Its continuation is possible only infour specially designated gambling zones. These are "Azov-City" in the Krasnodar Territory, "Amber Coast" near Kaliningrad, "Primorye" in Vladivostok and "Siberian coin" in Altai Territory.

Opinions are increasingly being expressed that, according to world experience, such creation of “zones” for accommodating gambling establishments has a negative impact on the state budget due to a significant decrease in tax revenues. If you pay attention to the experience of gambling regulation in the West, they are doing the following: increase the cost of a license, increase the required authorized capital of operating companies, introduce control over the production and certification of slot machines, clearly define those objects where it is forbidden to place gambling establishments, etc.

The entry of this law into force led to catastrophic change in domestic market gambling business. Companies notnew requirements were forced to diversify their business orcompletely close it. Gaming halls and casinos will be converted into entertainment centers and gyms.

Now a number of large Russian operators of the gambling market are actively developing other areas of business. For many operators of the gambling market, it is now more relevant to withdraw their business fromlimits of Russia than to start everything from zero from huge risk forinvestment. The liquidation of the gambling market led to the flourishing of illegal business.

In the market of entertainment (tourist) services, such a direction as "Junket-tour" has appeared. The word junket is of Chicago origin and the main of its meanings: a pleasure trip at the “public” expense. The junket tour is a smart combination of travel and game tourism, it is designed to meet the needs of active wealthy people whose hobbies are gambling and adventure. Tourist junket - trips are made to the most popular gaming centers in the world and famous casinos are concentrated.

Casino tours are created, as a rule, on the basis of a team of players and the main task of its participants is to play, but it should be clarified that a junket tour is not just one game program. Most often, the trip is timed to coincide with some upcoming event in the city - a grandiose rock concert, a fascinating exhibition, an annual jazz festival. Consequently, junket is not only a game of chance in a famous casino, but also an excellent educational and entertainment program. Most often, the operator offers free hotel accommodation, meals, travel or flight to the gambling establishment and back, entertainment programs and private parties, shopping shows and excursions for any, even the most sophisticated taste, with the condition that the player redeems chips for a certain amount.

At the same time, representatives of the gambling business have already found new alternatives to their business. Experts identify several areas.

The first direction is the migration of the gaming business to neighboring countries. In particular, to Ukraine and Belarus, where recently, as experts assure, not a single law regulating the gambling business has been adopted. From here, as experts note, the documents for running a gambling business are much cheaper and easier to obtain.

The second direction is "Lottery". Halls with slot machines are opened under the modest name "Lottery". The scheme is simple. To get access to slot machines, you need to buy lottery ticket. As a consolation or rather encouragement, they offer a game of jackpot or roulette. The rate is half the amount of the ticket price. It's called the "incentive lottery." Such a concept exists in federal law. The incentive in case of loss can be anything - a free lunch, ball pen or game. The owners of the "one-armed bandits" changed the name of the establishments and registered their equipment as a lottery equipment or changed the sign to a store. By the way, teenagers can enter such a hall or shop and you can open it next to the school.

But experts call the transition of casinos to the Internet the most dangerous. Internet casinos have already gained popularity in Russia. So far, formally, these establishments provide everyone with access to online gambling services. But in fact, as experts say, these are full-fledged casinos, which, by the way, do not pay taxes.

The danger of an online casino is that its activities are almost impossible to control. Moreover, if people under the age of 21 are not allowed to enter real gambling establishments, then everyone, including children, can get into a virtual casino.

Prospects for the gambling market inRussia is extremely doubtful. At least bythe reason that investors have not yetrush to announceyour desire to participate inconstruction of gambling zones.

According to experts, the gaming business development project related to the enactment of the law “On state regulation of activities for organizations and gambling" from the very beginning was completely unviable. There are many reasons why practically nothing has been done since the adoption of the law. The cost of the projects is very high, with most of the investment had to come from private investors. In addition, the terms for creating and equipping gambling zones, expensive land lease, high construction costs, difficulty in attracting customers, etc.

Since the adoption of the law on the prohibition of gambling, many opinions have been expressed about the future of the gambling business. In the zones designated for the gambling business, construction has not started, in two zones the exact location of the gambling zones has not yet been determined. Only in one, Azov City, work has begun, roads are being laid, communications are being carried out. And it's already started working. the first legal casino called "Oracle" is already operating in the gambling zone and the construction of the second one has begun. But it is already clear that the remoteness of Azov City from settlements does not attract either players or investors. And the gambling zone built on the border of the Rostov Region and the Krasnodar Territory can be liquidated. The governor of the Krasnodar Territory, Alexander Tkachev, sent a letter to President Dmitry Medvedev with a proposal to move Azov City to Anapa.

If we talk about, for example,"Siberian coin" or "Amber", for development in these areas of the relevant infrastructure (roads, hotels, communications andetc.), then you will need long time Andcolossal investment. In the Kaliningrad region, although there were several auctions for the sale of land in play area but no one has yet been willing to invest. Governor of the Kaliningrad region Nikolai Tsukanov intends to apply to the federal center with a proposal to move the gambling zone from the village of Povarovka closer to Svetlogorsk, one of the weighty arguments was the developed infrastructure and proximity to the airport.

For now Russian legislation in relation to gambling, it is a mixture between the old Soviet legislation and the modern legislation of the United States. In America, gambling can be played legally on Indian reservations and in Las Vegas. Gambling has been officially banned in our country since the summer of 2009, but four "gambling zones" have been created, located at a great distance from the two capitals and major cities. "Russian Las Vegas" in these areas has not yet been observed. Many former halls slot machines quite successfully impersonate Internet cafes, computer clubs and "electronic lotteries".

Literature

1. Evgeny Kovtun. History of legal regulation of gambling in Russia. - M.: IPC Mask, 2009.

2. Federal Law No. 244-FZ dated December 29, 2006 “On State Regulation of Organizing and Conducting Gambling and on Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”.