Slot Machines Face Exile

With President Vladimir Putin pushing for slot machine and casino reform, many are afraid that all forms of gambling will end up in exile. He is trying to push all of the casinos into four locations that are not located in Moscow or other major Russian cities. Instead, he wants to see all slot machines and casinos in four tightly restricted gambling zones. There is talk of two in European Russia, one in Siberia, and one in the Far East. You can now play slot machines on practically any corner, but not for long.

The way Putin has it structured is that the changes would take place for the casinos in 2009. The smaller slot machine parlors and casinos would need to close their doors by this July. If you don’t have at least 10 tables, 50 slot machines, and net assets worth at least $23 million, you are considered a smaller establishment and must close. The larger casinos would have until 2009 to relocate their slot machines and tables to one of the four areas. Many think that this is just one way of eliminating the slot machines and gambling, as decent roads and airports are both in high demand, but to no avail. This bill would make it almost impossible for most slot machine or table gamblers to get to the new casino locations.

It is considered that the bill will pass and not only because Putin proposed the idea. Many in Russia think that the casinos and the slot machines have taken over – and that they are an illness like alcoholism. Politicians have taken to describing slot machines and gambling as a sin, a plague, a crime, etc.; so it is no wonder that they are looking to make it pretty much impossible. However, due to all of the amendments that have been attached to it at this point it has become much more lenient than the originally proposed bill – so many think it will pass.

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