New controls for eSports in Russia
eSports industry will be probed by governmental media regulator, Roskomnadzor.
Russia.- Roskomnadzor, the local regulator, is implementing new measures against eSports skin betting offerings to reinforce its controlling policies of the iGaming industry. According to CalvinAyre, the Russian media regulator explained eSports skin betting sector is too similar to “online casino for children.”
Skin betting is an alleged gaming modality that allows players to buy features (skins) for virtual games and trading less valuable items throughout eSports, lotteries, casino games or in real life. The skin betting has not been regulated yet, although legislations could consider it as a modality of gambling. Therefore, operators should comply with federal gaming law and obtain a required license.
Until now, skingames.co, csgo.tm and csgofast.com could offer skin betting offerings at eSports platforms in Russia. However, the Roskomnadzor announced this week authorities have added those websites to the online blacklist as they consider skin betting’s “main purpose is to involve children in games of chance.”
Roskomnadzor has stepped up on the online gaming censorship including sports media portals and its affiliates and heightening its IP-restrictions, which targets high traffic affiliate websites. Russian government officials declared that they would only favour online bookmakers and gambling operators in compliance with its TSUPIS payment processing and money transfer codes to protect Russian customers against criminal and fraudulent activities.
