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Event details: What does the new regulation require?
The new set of legislative measures adopted by the FTS is designed to strengthen oversight of money flows in the gambling and lottery sector. The main focus is on technological and financial requirements for licensees. The goal is to combat illegal operators and improve consumer protection.
Key requirements of the new system:
- Authorized capital: The minimum authorized capital required to obtain a license to operate online lotteries has been increased by 150%. That comes to 500 million rubles instead of the previous 200 million.
- Bank guarantees: A mandatory requirement has been introduced to provide an irrevocable bank guarantee in the amount of 350 million rubles to cover potential payouts.
- Integration with ECUPIS: All transactions must pass through the Unified Center for Recording Bet Transfers (ECUPIS) under stricter verification controls.
- Software certification: Annual international certification of gaming software is required for compliance with GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) standards.
Fact box: New Financial Barriers
- Authorized capital raised to **RUB 500 million**
- Required bank guarantee: **RUB 350 million**
- Adaptation deadline for existing companies: **by May 1, 2026**
Reactions and comments: How are the industry and the regulator responding?
Representatives of the legal CIS iGaming market generally supported the tightening, but pointed to possible negative consequences for small businesses. Regulators are confident in the effectiveness of the measures. They expect the market to become more transparent and the number of illegal operators to fall by 20-25% during the first half of 2026.
“Raising capital requirements will weed out unscrupulous companies, but it will also create almost insurmountable barriers for new startups and small regional lotteries. The result is market consolidation, which doesn’t always work in newcomers’ favor,” commented Viktor Semenov, an iGaming regulation analyst at CIS-Expert.
According to a statement from the FTS press office on December 16, 2025, the new rules are aimed primarily at ensuring financial stability. The regulator emphasized that the security of players’ funds is a priority. Existing operators must submit a plan for compliance with the new regulations by March 1, 2026.
Context and background: Why is the regulator tightening control?
The last major change in gambling regulation in Russia took place in 2021. That is when ECUPIS was created. However, according to the Russian Ministry of Finance, the volume of the shadow market for online lotteries and betting remains high, exceeding 45 billion rubles annually. This situation undermines confidence in legal operators and leads to lost tax revenue.
The new legislation responds to growing pressure from the public and legitimate businesses, which had been calling for tighter controls on lottery operations. The regulator also took international experience into account, in particular the tightening of licensing in the United Kingdom and Malta, where financial reserve requirements also increased in 2024.
Consequences and forecasts: What should newcomers to the market expect?
The tightening of regulation will inevitably lead to market consolidation, that is, the acquisition of smaller players by large holding companies. For newcomers planning to launch in iGaming, this means the need to find serious investment or to partner with already-licensed companies.
Table: Forecast of the impact on the market
| Participant group | Projected impact | Key strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Large operators | Increase in market share (+15% in 2026) | Acquisition of smaller competitors |
| Small operators | Exit from the market (up to 80%) or sale of license | Urgent search for investors |
| Newcomers/Startups | High barrier to entry | Focus on the B2B segment or foreign licenses |
Georgy Smirnov, an independent IT analyst, predicts that, due to financial pressure, up to **60%** of iGaming software developers from the CIS will shift their focus to foreign markets such as Latin America and Africa, where licensing requirements are lower. Newcomers would be wise to study the new law closely before committing any investment to the sector.
Publication date: 2025-12-16T09:57:00+03:00
Sources: Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation (Draft No. 7145-2025), FTS statement dated December 16, 2025, Report of the CIS iGaming Operators Association.
