[Raana]

Today's news: Russian authorities started to block Skrill and Qiwi websites because they are used in financing online bookies.

Foreign websites with online gaming (bookmakers, poker, casino) have been blocked since 2014.
Pinnacle created more than 20+ clone websites to avoid blocking. So did Fonbet, marathonbet, 1xbet has more than hundred I think. Some of bookies like bet365, dafabet, expekt, bet-at-home decided to suspend all customers from Russia and left from Russia.
There are only few registered and allowed bookie websites now, each of which has to withhold tax 13% from every won bet.

And today it's become known that payment systems that were used to send money to bookmakers' websites will be also blocked by ISP providers.
Hard days for online bookies on Russian market.

[Optional]

Many countries will try the same thing as time goes on. To protect their local bettors, their local industry and generate taxes.

Is there a reliable Russian bitcoin exchanger?

Who is the best book for Russians now?

[Raana]

I think blocking payment system' website is a novice from our law inforcement. They work hard: Russian authorities blocked 5000+ bookie websites (including clones) while Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Estonian authorities blocked just hundreds of them.

The best book for Russians is on the ground. Local shops are most reliable to bet much money. Before 2014 it was a paradise: you could bet much without any ID shown. Nowadays you must show ID (and be blocked by bookie for the "style of betting") and have to pay tax - 13% of winnings.

Fonbet has most shops on the ground. But Betcityis(was) more loyal to customers. If you are recreational player with small bets then 1xbet shops are also OK. Marathonbet has a very few local shops.
histogram is website audience, red line - local shops number

Other local bookies aren't good. Foreign online bookies doesn't like Russian players because of bonus hustling, arbitraging and being not so recreational. Just pinnacle, sbobet and possibly betfair and well known among reliable online bookies here.

Qiwi is the only withdrawal method for russian roubles in pinnacle, Skrill is most popular for usd and euro. So I'm worried now how to withdraw my money from pin if Qiwi will reject payments to online bookies and Skrill' website will be blocked.

[Optional]

Great info Raana


We see a lot of complaints about 1xbet here. Not just from Russia but all over the world.

How good is their reputation in Russia compared to other bookies? Do they have a reputation for acting unfairly at all? I did not realize they are that strong in the offline betting shop market.

[Raana]

1xbet, Fonbet don't know what reputation is, they don't need it. 1xbet had to go to foreign audience just when it's website in Russia was being blocked. They are specific for russian audience. Both pay out roubles to credit card from hours to 1-3 days. How much of trusted global bookies can do that?
Russian bookies and more trusted for Russians apriori. Half of gross volume for local bookies comes from local shops.
You can deposit directly from your mobile phone account, local shops are everywhere in big cities, it's convinient, so most bettors don't need any foreign bookie.
Before 2014 you could deposit online, bet at home and withdraw cash in local shop with no comission.
I think acting unfairly is a common thing here. Bookie tries to deceive bettor and vice versa. Russian bookies have formal and informal rules. The latest are also important if someone wants to win money.


Russians are suspicious about foreign bookies. And it is mutual. Most foreign bookies don't use russian roubles, don't have russian support.
Nevertheless some of foreign bookies like rivalo, titanbet, betin have large percent of russian audience. And also pinnacle.

[Optional]

Thanks Raana.

1xbet definitely one of the most suspicious of bettors I have dealt with.

[Foxx]

13% collected from every winning bet. So instead of laying 110 to win 100, you are laying 110 to win 87. I think that adds up to effectively -126 on sides. That is brutal.

[Optional]

13% collected from every winning bet. So instead of laying 110 to win 100, you are laying 110 to win 87. I think that adds up to effectively -126 on sides. That is brutal.

The cost of regulation.

Must not be enough internal competition there if 13% is being fully passed on to the bettor though.

[luctens]

Whenever a country tries to push out any international bookies in favour of trying to manufacture a monopoly in that country, trying to ban online gambling completely or for some other reason, I see it as completely pointless.

As with the USA, there will likely always be some way of customers transferring money backwards and forwards to a bookie, use agents to access bookmakers and various other tactics so players and bookmakers will almost always find a way to facilitate bets even when a country is trying to stop it with these kinds of actions.

These governments need to catch up with the times and accept that gambling will always be around and there is really nothing practical that they can do to curb their citizens gambling online, then create a regulatory framework for all international bookmakers which the countries can then profit from with suitable taxation if they want to tax the bookmakers and they could also regulate the industry properly. If they don't do that, it will just result in never ending jiggery pokery and cat and mouse games between bookmakers, punters and governments. As the saying goes, you can't regulate the internet.