State Duma adopted legislation on gambling ancillary services advertisement in 1st reading
The amendments are introduced to Clause 27 of the law “On advertising” and restrict advertising of “gambling ancillary” hotel and catering services, theatre performances, concerts andother shows and entertainment events. In addition, restrictions refer to “sponsorship advertisement” (advertisement spread provided that a certain person must be mentioned as a sponsor). As it was announced to journalists by Vladimir Katrenko, the vice-speaker of the State Duma, commenting the adoption of the law, “gambling operators, pretending to comply with the legislative requirements, frequently advertise, in an aggressive an persistent manner, not exactly gambling and betting but a number of ancillary services”. In particular, he says, there is advertising of “concerts of rock bands invited to casinos as guest stars, hotel facilities or restaurant delicacies for those who free-will to part with their money in a gambling house”.
In his turn, an author of the legislation, Vladimir Medinski, the deputy head of the State Duma Economic Policy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Committee, also adds that at present a gambling operator may promote their activities in the form of sponsorship advertisement of any cultural and entertainment events.
Meanwhile the RF Government does not support the adoption of the legislation. According to the official government opinion, the concept of “gambling and betting ancillary services” included in the RF law fails to be clear enough in determining what kind of services they are exactly. Due to it, the Government believes, the legislation adopted, “it would enable executive powers to abuse their authority, breed a conflicting enforcement practice and weaken public constitutional right and freedom protection guarantees”.