Bookmakers and sweepstakes want to oblige to transfer money to sports 3%

Bookmakers and sweepstakes want to oblige them to transfer 3% of their income to sports. As Izvestia found out, such a bill will be submitted to the State Duma on March 14 by deputies of the Fair Russia — For Truth faction led by Sergei Mironov.

"The activity of bookmakers and sweepstakes is a segment of the economy with high margins, but at the same time carries significant social and economic risks. Gambling has a pronounced antisocial character, contributing to the formation of dependent behavior, the growth of debt obligations among the population and the redistribution of financial flows in favor of the gambling business," the explanatory note to the bill emphasizes.

It notes that the total income of Russian bookmaker companies from sports betting in 2023 amounted to 1.2 trillion rubles, and in 2022 — 879.2 billion rubles.

"Such trends indicate a steady growth in the sector's profits. At the same time, the amount of mandatory targeted contributions does not fully reflect the potential of the financial participation of the betting market in the development of socially significant areas. The amendments proposed by the bill increase the amount of targeted deductions to 3%, and also establish a minimum amount of payments in the amount of at least 40 million rubles," the initiators specified.

The previously established amount of targeted deductions from the quarterly revenue of bookmakers to sports federations and professional leagues was 2%. The minimum amount, in turn, was 30 million rubles.

On March 7, Deputy Secretary General of the RFU Erica Surikova said that the Russian Football Union is working together with bookmakers to promote social initiatives. So, according to her, in 2024, Fonbet transferred more than 350 million rubles to charity. In November last year, the Ministry of Sports also proposed the creation of a Russian sports Fund to distribute targeted contributions from bookmakers. The ministry stressed that the organization will help to manage funds more competently.