It has been nearly thirty years since the Soviet Union dissolved. Not all former Soviet countries have physical casinos or access to an online 200 deposit bonus casino. Many of the countries that used to make up the USSR have grown separately, but there’s one point that links them together. They all offer gambling activities or have made an effort to do that. Not every country is going to have access to the best payout online casino NZ gaming options. But there are some opportunities to be found here and there.
Russia
Russia has a few land-based casinos. The Sochi Casino and the Gorno-Altaysk-based Altai Palace Casino are two of the more popular ones. The Tigre de Cristal Casino in Artyom is another one of note.
There’s a different story for online gaming. Online gambling is illegal in Russia. A 2009 law states that gambling in Russia is only legal in land-based casinos in four designated zones around the country. The Russian Supreme Court also ordered online service providers to block sites run by digital casino operators.
Ukraine
Gambling has been illegal in Ukraine since 2009, following a deadly fire in a gambling hall in the country. However, many underground gambling activities are available in properties around Ukraine, mostly in hotels.
There have been some efforts to legalize some form of gambling in Ukraine. A January 2020 bill that would allow online gambling in Ukraine passed reading in the country’s parliament. Whether the bill will pass is unclear, but this is a significant step.
Belarus
Most of the land-based casinos in Belarus are in the capital of Minsk. The Maxwell Club and Metelitsa Casinos are also popular sites in the town of Brest. The Europe Casino in Gomel is another famous locale.
Belarus has been planning on allowing online gambling. As of February 2020, there are at least four casinos that are actively applying to operate within Belarus. Most of these casinos will focus on poker activities and other games that require some form of strategy. Slots may not be much of a factor in Belarus’ future casinos.
Georgia
The Republic of Georgia has a few land casinos. The cities of Batumi and Tbilisi have more than ten combined casino properties. Georgia is a popular site for people in Middle Eastern countries to visit and gamble in, especially as many of those mostly Islamic-countries have outlawed gambling activities.
The Republic of Georgia is also more supportive of online gambling. The Guts, 888, NetBet, William Hill, and Casumo Casinos are all available to Georgian players.
Latvia
The Latvian Association of Gaming Business operates many of the casino activities in the country. There are currently six companies that hold online gaming licenses in Latvia. There are also multiple land-based casinos around the country, mostly in the capital of Riga. Slots are the most popular games in the country, although poker has been rising in popularity. Poker tournaments occur in various places around Latvia under the supervision of licensed gaming operators.
Conclusion
There is an interest in gambling throughout Eastern Europe among both residents and nearby tourists. Expect to see more intriguing developments in the area, especially as laws and rules surrounding gambling go through these countries’ governments.
