Russian Orthodox Church leaders have slammed Finance Minister Anton Siluanov’s appeal to President Vladimir Putin to legalize online casinos as a threat to “traditional values.”
Siluanov sent Putin a letter proposing that his ministry legalize online casinos as a way to boost state revenues by ₽100bn ($1.3bn), as Russia-based journalist Brian MacDonald media shared on X:
Deputy Head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synodal Department for Relations with Society and the Media, Vakhtang Kipshidze, said that while he understood the need to fund Russia’s budget, the move would create gambling addicts.
Kipshidze said the ₽100bn: “will effectively be taken from Russian families who have, or will develop as a result of this dubious proposal, gambling addicts.”
The Greek Orthodox Church leader, however, also criticized the ongoing “accessibility of illegal online casinos” in a country where the vertical, legal or otherwise, has been banned since 2009.
Kipshidze added that Russian leaders should walk their talk that “protection of traditional values” remains top of the state agenda. Putin, meanwhile, has reportedly yet to acknowledge Siluanov’s letter.
gambling business has both pros and cons”
While the Finance Minister’s plan has its many detractors, including addiction charities such as Russia’s National Anti-Drug Union, lawmaker Leonid Slutsky had a more balanced opinion. “Honestly, the gambling business has both pros and cons. Everyone’s opinion on this topic matters. I don’t think we need to remove all restrictions right away.”
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: https://www.vegasslotsonline.com/news/2026/01/28/church-slams-minister-for-lobbying-vladimir-putin-for-icasino-legalization/