Poker is now considered as a form of gambling in Russia. It was in year 2007 when it was classified as a sport but on July 1, 2009, the Russian officials announced that there was an error on their decision declaring poker as a sport. The Russian Minister on Youth, Sport and Tourism, Vitaly Mutko, said in a press release that they have stricken poker off the list.
According to Mutko, the registration of poker as a sport in year 2007 was void. Mutko claimed that this was not right because there is no reason for the Federal Fitness Sports Agency to have the authority to make this type of decision in regards to poker. It should be looked at by ministerial commission. What does physical fitness have to do with a card game?
With the new antigambling law, casinos and poker can only operate inside the four gambling- related region. The four regions are not within the major cities of Russia, like Moscow. The four gambling zones were set up in the Primore region, Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, the Altai region of Siberia and the Azov Sea. The four regions are not yet prepared and opening of casinos inside these regions will require their players to wait for a longer time.
Removal of poker in the sports list of Russia would mean that poker is included from the strike on casino gambling and thus, poker would now be illegal in Russia unless they operate in the four-gambling designated zones.
Former president and current Prime Minister, Vladimir V. Putin was the promoter of the casino gambling ban. According to him, casinos and poker had propagated in Soviet Russia.
Samuil Binder, Russian Association for Gaming Business Development deputy executive director, emphasized the random effect of the gambling regulation. According to him, more than 400,000 people are employed in the gambling industry and with the new gambling regulation they will be unemployed. He also stated that 70 sports poker licenses in Russia already obtained by his association’s members are likely to be cancelled out.
Dmitry Lesnoi, founder of the Russian Federation of Sport Poker said that many Russian poker players are now mourning after hearing from their government that poker will no longer be a sport. It has affected the country as a whole in a very negative manner. Lesnoi was the one responsible in the government decision declaring poker as a sport in year 2007. He also contributed in the foundation of the PokerStars in the past Russian Poker Tour. He also organized the European Poker Tour (EPT) event.
The first European Poker Tour event is scheduled in Moscow to begin on August 17 and will end on August 23. But according to Lesnoi, this EPT event remains uncertain because of the new regulation. Due to the removal of poker as a sport in Russia, this will make it more difficult for international players to obtain the visas required to travel to Russia in order for them to join the event.
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