Russia approves fifth online sports betting site

Leon.ru has become the fifth legal online sports betting option in Russia.

Russia.- The Eurasian country has officially five legal online sports betting sites, after approving the launch of Leon.ru. The bookmaker operates over 300 retail points of sale and under the Federal Tax Service License #20, which was issued to Leon’s previous corporate identity, Euromir.

Leon follows Liga Stavok, 888.ru, Winline and 1xBet, the other four operators that are currently running their platforms in Russia. Leon belongs to Bookmakers SRO, whilst the other four belong to the First Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) of Russian Bookmakers.

Leon’s chairman Nikolai Oganezov stepped down last week after “losing his patience whilst trying to get the two rival SROs to cooperate in lobbying the government on betting issues.” The chairman also said that Russian legislators failed at their work since the approved legislation is contradictory and unclear.

Earlier this year, Russia’s government put forward a proposal with the intention of leading to a new 10 percent tax on online sports betting sales in the country. Russia awarded its first online sports betting license to Liga Stavok in the first months of 2016.