No more casinos in Moscow?

[viking]

This morning, on a Russian news channel, there was a piece where authorities were showing gambling machines all wrapped up, taken from casinos. They said that there is no more gambling allowed in Mosocw. Does anyone know more about this? Is it only Moscow? Or just certain type of video machines that are affected?

[possum]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7993079&page=1

[tim 360]

Casino gambling has been banished to some out of the way areas in Russia--happened awhile ago.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/world/europe/29casinos.html

[ECOCKS]

Think that was enacted roughly 3 years ago.

They established a few (eight I think) zones where gambling would be allowed. Sochi is one of those locations and this had some sort off bearing on the timing of the Olympic bid. At the time there was considerable speculation on which oligarchs had managed to get their land purchases completed and included within the zones.

[tfcrew]

Was anybody ever hot at the Russian roulette tables?

[JohnDearGreen]

Was anybody ever hot at the Russian roulette tables?

My first date in Moscow ended up at a casino.  After dinner I planned to go to a disco called Poseidon, named after the movie.  I didn't know Russian discos had dancing girls.  Ten minutes after we got to Poseidon, the DJ announces "dancing girls on stage after this song".   So my lady friend wanted to leave. We cruised around town and came by a casino/lounge with an Engelbert style singer Larisa wanted to see. 

Cover charge was $50.  But they gave me 50 in chips.   So I assumed we were expected to gamble a while and not just cash in the chips.  We played low odds bets on the set of 12 numbers which had about a 2 to 1 odds, and slowly accumulated about $200.  Then cashed in and went to see the lounge show. Not much, but only time I have ever walked away from a casino with winnings.  Made enough to pay the driver anyway.  I still have the plastic membership card.   

[Phil dAmore]

Cover charge was $50.  But they gave me 50 in chips.

A cover charge to get into a casino. Only in Russia?  Never heard of this being done elsewhere but then I'm not much of a gambler.

Hey at least you came out on top at the table.  I'm surprised they didn't charge an 'exit fee'

Last I heard the gambling zones were a bust because no one thought to build any roads to the casinos which were basically out in the middle of nowhere.

[acctBill]

A cover charge to get into a casino. Only in Russia?  Never heard of this being done elsewhere but then I'm not much of a gambler.

Hey at least you came out on top at the table.  I'm surprised they didn't charge an 'exit fee'

Last I heard the gambling zones were a bust because no one thought to build any roads to the casinos which were basically out in the middle of nowhere.

In the UK you had to be a member to get into a casino now, with the expansion of gaming, there are lots of casinos that have no entry fees.  However, there might still be some casinos that require membership and/or some type of entry fee. 

The new casinos in Singapore require a daily fee of $100 for a 24 hour period or $2,000 for a year, but only for Singapore citizens or permanent residents.  Probably more casinos in different parts of the world with entry fees.     

[chivo]

Yes the casinos are gone. After years of talking about it they finally closed the doors in July 2009. All it did though was move gambling underground. I still play Texas hold'em only now it's done in "speak easy" type of establishments. Like the old days of prohibition you walk up to the door and say a special word or phrase into a speaker or go with a recognized patron as a monitor checks you out. After everything's cool they let you in.

Not really a big deal either if caught as these places get raided from time to time only to have all the money returned to the guests after they (the police) make a good showing for/to the public. Most raids are highly publicized in the media. Clubs usually reopen after a few weeks and I'm sure after a certain "cut" to the militsia. The police do take your name and put it on some list to know if you have been naughty or nice, like Santa Claus I imagine .

The plan is to move gambling to 4 areas of Russia; Azov City on the borders of the Krasnodar Territory and Rostov Region, a zone in the Altai Mountains, Amber in Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and a zone in the Primorye Region in Russia's Far East. Typical of the poorly thought out schemes of the Duma as closer and more well established gaming places such as The French Riviera are not only closer, but nicer.

But hey, thanks for putting about 400,000 people, mostly Russians out of work during the recession though.

From what I've heard from some very knowledgable sources the closures were really brought on after the Georgia-Russian conflict in August 2008. The gambling business was mostly controlled throughtout Russia, and especially in Moscow by Georgians and it was part of the fallout in relations with each other that pushed the Georgians out of many businesses in and around Moscow, gambling being but one.

Funny thing about all of it is they still allow sports betting in sports bars as they consider it a sport . Go figure.

As far as charging a cover charge, all fees/chips can be used in any part of the casino from gambling to food and drinks. It is also common practice in other places around Europe such as France for instance.

[tfcrew]

Was anybody ever hot at the Russian roulette tables?

Apologies...
That was posted tongue in cheek.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_roulette

[JohnDearGreen]

Apologies...
That was posted tongue in cheek.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_roulette

Maybe someone could translate what is happening here:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYs8vBMIhj4[/youtube]
Here is the Chrome translation:
Bloody tragedy ended with the wedding the newlyweds from the Soviet district of Astrakhan. Straight from the banquet in the midst of the celebration of one of the guests at the "ambulance" was taken to the intensive care unit, and another put in a "monkey" and was taken to the bullpen.

So sad finale celebration ended by a young family friend, 38-year-old Arthur Dotsaevu. After marriage the couple with their guests continued their fun in the cafe "Aristocrat." When they were told all the official speeches and toasts, the guests began playing pranks and fun contests coming up. At this time Arthur has invited all men to the festive table honeymooners and demonstrated focus. Taking out from under his coat he owns traumatic pistol IZH-79-9, he held it to his temple, and put the fuse simulated shot. And then, reloaded, began to shout: "Who else will repeat the feat in honor of the groom?".

Heroes who want to demonstrate to young couples their courage and bravery, was found a few. But the first pulled out a pistol Sergei Fedorov. Unaware that the gun is charged and removed from the guard, the young man put a bullet in the head. With an open brain injury, gunshot wound to the skull, a fracture of the cranial vault and brain contusion guest on "ambulance" was taken to the city clinical hospital № 3 Astrakhan. Now doctors evaluated his condition as serious.

And Arthur Dotsaeva immediately taken into custody. As reported Komsomolskaya Pravda in the Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee under the Russian Prosecutor of the Astrakhan region on Dotsaeva opened a criminal investigation st.111 Part 2, Art. 224 of the Criminal Code - "Intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, dangerous to human life, committed socially dangerous way of hooliganism, and careless storage of firearms." Now the Caucasian hero shines a penalty of imprisonment up to 10 years.

[JR]

Translation = Stupidity