Underground Casino Operated for Years Across Dozens of Locations
St. Petersburg court dismantles massive illegal gambling ring after five years
St. Petersburg's Oktyabrsky District Court has delivered a verdict in the case of an illegal gambling network. Four organizers received real prison terms—ranging from four to five years in a general-regime penal colony. Additionally, the defendants had over 55 million rubles ($600,000) confiscated.
According to the city courts' joint press service, the group operated from 2014 to 2019. They ran an illicit gambling operation outside designated gaming zones, using the internet and specialized equipment. The network spanned 17 rented non-residential premises across different parts of the city.
The court also imposed fines on the main defendants, ranging from 800,000 to 950,000 rubles ($9,000–$10,500). Other accomplices received suspended sentences. The total revenue from the operation amounted to at least 55,164,096 rubles ($600,000).
All defendants were found guilty of forming a criminal organization, engaging in illegal business activities, and money laundering.
Earlier, FSB officers shut down an underground gambling operation in Magnitogorsk, where searches are currently underway.
Law enforcement also uncovered an illegal casino in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The perpetrators had set up the gambling club in 2025.
