A lot of interesting things have happened in Russia since the fall of the Iron Curtain, but since the Government all of a sudden placed an all out ban on slot machines and casinos, there has been a mass explosion in the popularity of online casinos.

Russians have never been seen as shy when it comes to making a bet, and with the recent Government ban, there has been an immediate surge in the popularity of other sources of gambling activity, with most now turning to online casino gambling as a suitable alternative. This has caused the Russian Government to openly acknowledge that they were ill prepared when implementing the ban, as the laws were either inadequate or they did not have the technology to combat their citizens moving from traditional casinos to online casinos.

Previously quiet Russian internet cafes have now found themselves full to capacity, with some now saying open 24/7 to meet demand. Only now their customers are not surfing the internet or sending emails, but playing the online casinos.

The police are now playing a constant cat and mouse game between the owners of internet cafes and their online happy gamblers. As soon as one internet cafe is closed down by the police, several more pop up in their place.

One keen observer has also noted that the prohibition has seen 1500 people lose their jobs, and Government revenue from casinos has completely dried up. With online casinos all profits are directed elsewhere.