The Russian Supreme Court has ruled in the Rostelecom case, where the prosecution aimed at having internet providers block illegal online gambling sites in the country. This basically applies to all online gambling pages, as online gambling in general is illegal in Russia, and even live gambling is restricted to certain designated zones.
After the Primary Court ruled that Rostelecom has no such obligation, as providing access to the otherwise illegal online gambling is not itself a crime, the Supreme Court revised the decision and changed the ruling.
They consider providing access to banned information and services undoubtedly against the law. According to the decision, internet providers must block access to all illegal content, including sites offering online gambling, otherwise they risk losing their licences and getting blacklisted by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
This can lead to Russian players disappearing from the global flow of online poker. While technically it is possible to bypass the ban, it is more likely for the regulars to utilize such means than it is for the generally losing recreational players.
After the Primary Court ruled that Rostelecom has no such obligation, as providing access to the otherwise illegal online gambling is not itself a crime, the Supreme Court revised the decision and changed the ruling.
They consider providing access to banned information and services undoubtedly against the law. According to the decision, internet providers must block access to all illegal content, including sites offering online gambling, otherwise they risk losing their licences and getting blacklisted by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
This can lead to Russian players disappearing from the global flow of online poker. While technically it is possible to bypass the ban, it is more likely for the regulars to utilize such means than it is for the generally losing recreational players.