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Russian Betting Sites and Bookmakers [2024]

Betting in Russia is a bit of a complicated subject. In short, placing a Russia bet and/or launching Russia betting sites are illegal but there are four regions in the country where bet Russia action is legal.

In short, Russian bookmakers (and, therefore, online sports betting) are considered legal as soon as they stay in these regions.

Outside of these regions, there are only a few forms of legal Russian bet gambling such as the lottery and bingo. Other types of Russian sports betting sites are considered illegal and licensed bookmakers  and legal betting sites do not exist on the internet.

Luckily for Russian sports bettors, placing a bet in Russia on sports is also legal and players can place bets at several land-based betting shops.

But remember that this applies only to “physical” betting booths: There are no gambling sites in Russia but there are lots of “real” bookmakers that operate legally, such as Liga Stavok. The federal sports agency in Russia is no fan of online sportsbooks, but it allows the “physical” form of betting in Russia.

Online gambling in Russia

Online betting (Russia gambling sites, including Russian casino sites) has been illegal for many years but things appear to be changing as a couple of online sportsbooks have recently been granted licenses. It seems the Russian government (and Vladimir Putin) changed its mind about online sportsbooks.

However, don’t expect to see lots of Russian betting websites pretty soon: Seeing a legal Russian betting site will require many changes, both in laws and local culture. The Ministry Of Finance probably wants legal online sports betting companies due to the income potential, and mass media definitely supports legalized betting for the Russian market, but we still have a long way to go before the federal law changes.

Despite this change, Russian authorities have been aggressively blacklisting and blocking unlicensed online betting companies & betting sites in Russia, like the “good-old” Soviet Union days, and they are moving towards blocking financial transactions between those sites and residents.

At the moment and for the foreseeable future, all of the top international gambling companies for Russia are located abroad.

Authorities also introduced a bill that establishes punishment for players caught betting at unlicensed Russian betting sites both online and on land. It is not yet known how much effort will be put into prosecuting offenders who played at Russian gambling sites.

But yes, there is a possibility of getting punished as a player for playing at unlicensed Russian bookmakers.

One thing is certain and that is history has clearly shown that enforcing these rules is an immense challenge for authorities.

Russian betting sites will be completely legal sooner or later, but nobody can predict the exact time – we can just hope for the best for online betting companies in this country and Russian casino sites.

What are the best sports betting sites and bookmakers for Russia?

Keeping in mind that the government appears to be cracking down on illegal Russian betting sites. Intrepid Russian players that are willing to take their chances with unlicensed new bookies have many great options that we listed in the new bookmakers 2024 guide. Russian sports gamblers trust 22Bet  to provide a secure environment in which player safety and fair play are a top priority.

It is well-known that Russian bet online bookmakers such as 1xBet and Fezbet are respected worldwide for offering a good variety of markets and that Cbet offers a wide variety of services and features such as betting on first goal scorers. Russian sports gamblers also turn to industry leaders such as William Hill or 18Bet or as well as several other highly-rated Russian bet bookmakers that are found at Gamblingjudge.com – each and every one of them will offer you the best Russia betting odds.

These top 10 safe betting sites for Russia may not hold Russian gambling licenses but they still operate to the highest industry standards. Russian sports bettors can be confident that they will receive the same great service that has made these Russian betting companies industry leaders.

Top 10 Russian betting sites [2024] - Updated list

Rank
Bookmaker
Bonus
Safe & Trusted
Rating
Get Started
1
Exclusive 10% Rakeback
Yes
Rating 9.99 out of 10
2
100% up to €500
Yes
Rating 9.97 out of 10
3
Exclusive: 100% up to €130
Use Promocode: GJBET
Yes
Rating 9.93 out of 10
4
Exclusive: 100% up to €130
Use Promocode: JUDGE
Yes
Rating 9.92 out of 10
5
100% up to €100
Yes
Rating 9.89 out of 10
6
100% up to €100
Yes
Rating 9.87 out of 10
7
BET €10 GET €30
Yes
Rating 9.85 out of 10
8
100% up to €500
Yes
Rating 9.81 out of 10
9
100% up to €250
Yes
Rating 9.79 out of 10
10
125% up to €300
Yes
Rating 9.77 out of 10

While waiting for the Russian gambling sites to become legal, you can continue to play at international betting sites. And if you are wondering which ones are the best, don’t worry: We already picked the best ones for you.

The list of gambling companies above contains our personal selections, chosen according to our high standards. You can be sure that they offer the best Russia betting odds and bonuses. These Russian gaming websites will offer you an unmatched gambling experience: That’s our guarantee.

Sports are a major part of Russia’s culture and residents enjoy a wide range of activities. It’s no secret that Russia endures harsh winters so it should come as no surprise that winter sports are quite popular at Russian gambling sites. Ice hockey, skiing, and skating are a few activities that Russians enjoy and most of Russia best bets are offered for these sports.

The Russian Federation has a long history of success in the Winter Olympics. Rugby, volleyball, basketball, and motorsports attract many spectators as do martial arts, tennis, Russian table tennis, and athletics. The most popular sport in Russia is soccer and fans were out in full force when Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018. If you want to place a bet in Russian, you will find the most options for soccer, due to its popularity (learn here more about how to place a bet at the bookies).

Alert

Online gambling, in general, is illegal in Russia and there are no betting sites in Russia. For the same reason, Russian betting companies do not exist. But the times appear to be changing.

To the delight of Russian sports gamblers, the government recently issued licenses to a couple of online Russian betting companies, which are located in special regions of the country. Once again, gambling sites in Russia do not exist outside of these regions/zones.

Authorities actively block unlicensed bookies and banks are instructed to block financial transactions between unlicensed operators and Russian customers. There are also new laws that prescribe punishment for players who are caught betting with unlicensed bookies.

Payment methods you can use in Russian betting sites

There are lots of payment options you can use, but only a couple of them will be suitable for betting in Russia. Due to strict monitoring of betting markets, online bookies that accept Russian players can only offer limited methods for deposits & withdrawals.

Take a look at the following lists to learn more about deposit methods and withdrawal options you can use in a betting site as a Russian player:

  • Bank Transfers: This is a big no-no. Bank transfer cannot be a withdrawal method for online sports betting in Russia. The government monitors all transactions and confiscate them if they are related to gambling. The same can be said for deposits, especially if they are for an international bookmaker such as William Hill. Russian bettors should not use bank transfers.
  • Credit Card / Debit Card: VISA credit card can be used as a deposit method but you should not withdraw money. The same goes for MasterCard, both the credit and debit card should be used only for deposits.
  • Western Union: Just like the bank transfers, you cannot use Western Union (or any other international money transfer service) for deposits & withdrawals.

So, which banking methods are available? What are the deposit methods (and withdrawal options) you can use? We can say that you have two payment methods that work flawlessly:

  • E-wallets: Neteller, Skrill, ecoPayz, and lots of other e-wallet service providers can be used without a problem, both for deposits and withdrawals. You also have the option to use a local method called “WebMoney” but it is really close to the government, which means gambling-related transactions will be problematic. Stick with international brands. Unfortunately, most of them do not support RUB (Russian Ruble), which means you may have to pay currency exchange fees. New online bookmakers that accept iDeal also represent a good choice.
  • Cryptocurrencies: Probably the best Russian payment method. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Lite Coin, or any other cryptocurrency can be used. All of them will offer unmatched security and privacy and, while we’re at this point, we highly recommend trying Ethereum betting.

The choice is yours, a betting site that accept Russian members will probably offer both these methods. High rollers should prefer cryptocurrencies because of increased security and privacy when betting on high stakes. Blockchain transfers are encrypted and no agency can track them (or claim that they are related to gambling).

Steps of depositing at Russian betting sites

Step 1
Pick one of the online bookmakers listed in this guide. We recommend all of them: The choice si yours.
Step 2
Visit the website of that betting site and create an account.
Step 3
Log in with your credentials and open your profile page. Look for a link that says “deposit” or “payments”.
Step 4
Click on that link. You will see a list of all available payment methods. You are free to choose whichever you like, but we recommend using an e-wallet service or cryptocurrencies, as explained above.
Step 5
In the next screen, you will be asked to enter the amount of your deposit. Do so and click the “submit” button.
Step 6
The next step will be different according to the payment method you choose. If you decided to use an e-wallet account, the website of that e-wallet service will be opened on a separate page and you will be asked to log in & approve the payment. If you chose to use cryptocurrencies, however, you will just see the blockchain address of the Russia betting site. In short, follow the on-screen instructions and complete the payment with your preferred method.

Based on the method you choose; the deposit will be completed instantly or in a couple of hours. Once you have an active balance, you can start playing & betting.

Are there any sports betting bonuses and free bets for Russian players?

Russian sports bettors who dare to flout Russia’s online gambling laws can get themselves any number of great bonuses from the world’s best online bookmakers.

There are some specially created for them promotions, in the local currency Russian Ruble: Casinia Bet (3000 RUB), Malina Sports (3000 RUB), CampoBet (3000 RUB) – all of these are very respected bookmakers that promise to give you easy withdrawals and good wagering requirements on the above bonuses.

Russian sports betting fans that prefer cash betting bonuses are in luck too. €100 in bonus cash awaits new Russian customers at 1xBet. Those looking for something bigger will be thrilled with the cash bonuses that Toto Gaming are giving away for new customers.

Players are reminded to read the terms and conditions that apply to these awesome sports betting bonuses. There are loads of easy to get bonuses and Russia betting odds available to Russian players and they are found in the promotions section at Gamblingjudge.com along with extensive bookmaker reviews that are helpful when you are looking for a trusted online betting Russia bookie.

Mobile betting sites in Russia: Do they exist?

The local betting markets do not offer this option but online bookmakers on the internet will give you to chance to use any device you like. Nowadays, online sports are all about “instant-play”: There is no need to download a program. In fact, a mobile app is not needed too: You can simply visit the mobile version of the online sports betting website and gain access to everything, including live betting.

You can also reach customer support or make a payment on mobile too: Everything works instantly and on browsers. This is not exclusive to sports betting: All kinds of gambling (including poker sites) are available on mobile devices, no matter what the operating system is.

If you choose one of our recommended bookmakers, you will be able to place a bet on mobile without a problem. Moreover, you will be able to view the entire website in the Russian language: The majority of our partners support multiple languages. We know how important it is to play on mobile and we check every bookmaker on different platforms.

In other words, we make sure that you get the same experience and features on all devices, iOS or Android. If you want to play on mobile, any of our recommended bookmakers will do: Visit their sites, create an account, and claim your bonus now. Don’t forget to gamble responsibly!

Frequently Asked Questions about Russia betting sites & bookmakers

Land-based casinos are legal but only in five regions. Online bookmakers are legal but there are lots of limitations: They must be a part of the TSUPIS (a centralized financial processing system). Online casinos are considered illegal.

The Federal Tax Service handles the licenses of land-based gambling. For Russian online bookmakers, there are two organizations called SROs (self-regulating organizations).

If you choose one of our recommended online bookmakers that accept Russian members, yes: We especially choose bookmakers with multiple currency support.

We recommend payment methods that cannot be tracked & blocked by the Russian government. In this context, e-wallets and cryptocurrencies are the best options to use.

According to Yandex statistics, football is the most popular sport in Russia. Ice hockey comes in second. Because it is considered to be the national game, bets on chess events are quite popular too.

Play At The Best Russian Online Bookmakers Right Now

By choosing the right operators and using the payment methods that value your privacy, betting in Russia won’t be a problem: Russian bettors can enjoy sports betting like any other country. This guide contains everything you need to know to start playing at Russia betting sites: Just pick one of our recommended online bookmakers and create an account.

Don’t forget to claim your bonus too! We are sure that you will start winning in no time. Don’t forget to visit us often as we constantly update our content. Good luck out there!

 

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