Moscow Casino Ban Will See Poker Boom

Many of Moscow’s 32 casinos are planning to reinvent themselves as poker clubs ahead of a ban on casinos in the city from July 1, the Moscow Times has said.

The Gaming Business Association in the city said around one-third of casinos would start holding competitive tournaments after the July 1 deadline which was supposed to see gambling establishments move to three specially designated zones in Azov-City, Sibirskaya Moneta, and Yantarnaya.

As poker has been designated a sport in Russian since June 26, 2007, the Gaming Business Association said casinos which became poker rooms would not be breaching the new rules. "This game doesn't have any connection to the gambling business, since in sports poker the players are competing against one another not the casino."

The Moscow Times quotes Lavrenty Gubin, a spokesman for Storm International Casinos as saying, “Of the five largest casinos, we'll most likely leave Jazz Town and Shangri-La, which will primarily become poker clubs. The facilities' income will come from renting the tables out to players."

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