Best Betting Sites in Russia 2025

Russia has one of the largest gambling markets in Europe, generating over €2.1 billion in revenue in 2024. The majority of it comes from online betting and bookies like Winline or Betcity, since players can join them legally.

Currently 20+ brands are licensed in Russia and despite the options, taxation on winnings, slow KYC times and monitoring of payments have pushed bettors towards offshore bookmakers. Joining such bookies allows you to access instant deposits & withdrawals, solid sportsbooks odds and bonuses, while maintaining a low profile.

Stay on this guide and you will find the best betting sites in Russia, insights about the legislation and key payment tips to remember. Before we go deeper, let’s take a look at our 3 highest-rated bookmakers.

Local sites might be more familiar for the everyday bettors, but international sites excel them in all categories and enhance gameplay in all key categories. If you’re eager to join, below are all legit Russian betting sites available. Scan through the list, select your favourite bookie with the filters and start playing.

Which Are The Best Russian Betting Sites

How We Pick Russian Bookies - Our Process

When evaluating Russian bookies, we stick to rigorous selection criteria to ensure only the best ones make our list. We place great emphasis on security, transparency and reliability, whilst also looking at the general market coverage, so you can have access to all the top events for every sport.

Localization

Even when wagering internationally, Russian players should still benefit from a local experience. For that reason, our recommended bookies offer a Russian language option for the site, support RUB for financial transactions and provide customer support services in Russian. This not only breaks language barriers significantly, but also guarantees that no vital information is lost in translation.

Odds & Markets

You can expect to find at least 5,000+ pre-match events across 45+ sports, including local favourites like football, ice hockey, basketball, tennis and martial arts. Enhanced odds are usually offered for major events, plus a plethora of markets, including totals, goals, intervals and handicaps.

Bonuses

An effortless way to win more on your bets is through dedicated sports bonuses, which is why the next aspect we focus on is the promotional arsenal. Luckily, our recommended bookmakers rank exceptionally well in this chapter, offering deposit bonuses, free bets, cashback on losing wagers and even e-sports deals.

Payments

Our team manually tests every brand to ensure the payment options available are safe and meet the needs of Russian players perfectly. You’ll usually find a mix of local e-wallets like Yandex, Qiwi and Webmoney, alongside bank transfer and cryptocurrency.

Withdrawal Times

Has your ticket panned out and you’re ready to celebrate? You won’t have to worry about withdrawal delays. Our bookies process payments efficiently, with some supporting instant or 24-hour payouts once you’ve passed the KYC verification. Getting your documents approved will also be a breeze, as you’ll typically find detailed instructions on the site or in the profile section of your account.

What To Remember About Online Gambling in Russia

Gambling in Russia is tightly regulated by the government and generally restricted, in an effort to prevent criminal activity and protect local players. The Federal Law No. 244-FZ, which has been in effect since 2006 states that all gambling activities are banned nationwide, except for several specially-designated areas - Kaliningrad, Primorye, Altai, Sochi, and Crimea.

The country officially recognizes three types of operations, which are lottery, bookmaking and casino-EGM. In 2006, the same federal law mentioned above effectively prohibited online gambling in Russia.

The Russian authorities are much stricter towards the casino sector, regularly cracking down on unlicensed poker and slots sites, plus performing automatic blocks. However, Russia is home to a thriving sports betting scene, as brands are allowed to operate offline and online if they secure a local license and meet the compliance requirements.

Can You Bet Legally in Russia?

Anyone over the age of 18 can legally bet in Russia, but only through licensed operators that meet the stringent conditions of the Russian Federation. You can participate in sports betting online and offline as well, anywhere in the country. Operators must register with the Federal Tax Service and process all transactions through the TSUPIS system (Unified Interactive Bets Accounting Center). Since it’s a centralized network, payments on local sites are heavily monitored by the government.

Furthermore, players are required to go through a strict KYC process (Know Your Customer) and register through the TSUPIS system for online betting, raising serious concerns about privacy.

Do I Have To Pay Tax on Winnings?

Under Russian law, betting winnings are considered taxable income. Russian bookies are in charge of withholding and remitting taxes to the government on behalf of the bettor. For Russian residents, the tax rate is set at 13%, whilst non-residents are subjected to a 30% rate. These thresholds apply to winnings exceeding 4,000 RUB in a calendar year.

Do keep in mind that only locally-licensed bookmakers have to fulfil this obligation. On international sites, winnings don’t get taxed at the source. Instead, it’s the player’s obligation to declare them and pay the taxes independently.

What Can I Find on Russian Betting Sites?

When playing on offshore Russian betting sites, KYC is not a prerequisite to joining. This process is more relaxed and typically only kicks in when withdrawing for the first time. Furthermore, you’ll have access to over 2,000+ daily events and more niche sports as well, such as trotting, hurling and kabaddi. Special bets are also regularly supported, like wagering on politics, election results, celebrity fights etc.

Russian Betting App

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of visiting a traditional betting shop or being subjected to a restrictive schedule, you can always take your passion for sports in your pocket. Finding the right Russian betting app for you will be extremely easy, as all major foreign operators have one in store for Android, iOS or both.

These apps can be downloaded from the source or from third-party app stores, and they’re compatible with smartphones and tablets. Usually, you’ll have access to the same sports and markets as the web version, but also other perks like in-app payments and bonus redemption.

Latest Trends For Sports Betting in Russia

Despite the constraining regulatory landscape, sports betting in Russia remains extremely popular. In fact, it’s estimated that, from 2024 to 2029, the revenue for this sector will grow by 7.15%, reaching a projected market volume of US$2,862 million by 2029. If you’re a beginner bettor, below we’ll share all the key insights about the sports culture in Russia and what leagues you can explore on offshore sites.

Football Betting in Russia

Football is the most popular sport with Russians, attracting high viewership across the nation, particularly around important events. Aside from the Russian Premier League, bookies from abroad also connect locals with top competitions from Europe, including UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League.

You can expect to find at least 1,000+ pre-match and live betting options on the regular, including beloved markets for this sport like total goals, double chance, both teams to score, yellow cards and offsides.

Russian Ice Hockey Betting

Ice hockey is another prominent sport in Russia. According to a 2018 survey, 50% of Russian respondents aged 12 to 64 reported an interest in the events of this sport, with smaller recorded percentages for figure skating and soccer.

Online sportsbooks offer fantastic coverage for the KHL, allowing you to wager on several essential markets such as team wins, double chance, totals or correct score. Furthermore, live streams are often provided, or a match animation depicting the key moments of the game.

Basketball Betting Russia

Also holding an important spot in Russian culture, basketball is the third most bet-on sport by locals. Today, VTB league is the national competition, founded in 2009 and containing mostly Russian teams like CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv Kuban or Khimki, alongside one from Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Russian betting sites cover both the VTB, as well as other important international leagues, such as NBA or Euroleague. For selected matches, the odds can go as high as 97%, and advanced markets like Players Specials and Team Stats are also available.

Russian Tennis Betting

Over the years, Russia has given several stars to the tennis world, including Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev. They have achieved important feats in the WTA, ATP and French Open, respectively. If you’re a fan of this sport, you can track several notable competitions, including ATP Tour and many Challenger Cups in our trusted bookies. The most popular markets for this sport are sets, correct score, handicap, serve faults, point-specific bets, while more can be found depending on the site.

How To Play On Russian Bet Sites

Because you are no longer required to go through identity verification in order to start betting, as it is the case with local sites, you can create an account much faster on offshore operators. Just follow our easy steps below:

• 1
  Register: Pick a Russian-friendly bookie from our list. We advise visiting more than one platform to see which one suits you best in terms of bonuses and sports. Then, go to the ‘register’ button from the homepage and fill-in your personal information (full name, e-mail address, password, date of birth etc.).
• 2
  Confirm Your Mail: After confirming your data, your age and agreement to the site’s Terms & Conditions, verify your e-mail address. This will add an extra layer of security to your account, and also ensure you are eligible for various sports bonuses.
• 3
  Grab A Bonus: Now you can pick your desired offer from the drop-down menu. Most bookies offer welcome bonuses ranging from 50,000 to 150,000 RUB on average, or other sports deals like free bets, cashback and such.
• 4
  Deposit: Make your first deposit to claim your promo. You can opt for local payment methods like WebMoney, Qiwi and bank transfer, or cryptocurrency, depending on how private you want your betting session to be.
• 5
  Get In The Game: With the bonus secured in the balance and ready to be used, navigate to the betting section and take a closer look at the leagues, matches and available markets. Pay special attention if other profitable features are integrated, like Bet Builder, Accumulator Boost, Early Cashout or Fast Markets, and utilize them to your advantage.

Which Payment Methods Can I Use on Russian Bookies?

After 2022, betting payments have become more challenging for Russian players due to the government’s active involvement in tracking them. Local operators are required to process all payments through the TSUPIS system, meaning that some Russian credit companies and other banking service providers are also prohibited. Below, you will find the most used deposit methods available on Russian bookies:

⏩ MIR Cards: MIR is the most widely used banking method in Russia. It’s a card payment system established in 2017 by the Central Bank of Russia. Following the international sanctions against Russia, MIR became a substitute for VISA & Mastercard within the country. MIR cards are accepted predominantly for cash withdrawals and online transactions. They’re also compatible with the TSUPIS system, so they’re prevalent on licensed betting platforms in Russia.

⏩ Qiwi Wallet: Qiwi is a popular e-wallet used for betting transactions. Residents prefer it for its instant deposit times, fast withdrawals and low fees. In addition, the account can be funded through various options, including bank transfers, credit/debit cards and Qiwi terminals spread across the country. Most Qiwi bookmakers are licensed locally, but you can find this method on high-quality operators from abroad as well. Furthermore, this option is rarely excluded from claiming welcome bonuses, which is another net positive.

⏩ Webmoney: Established in 1998, Webmoney is one of the oldest online payments systems in Russia, having over 45 million registered users. Webmoney allows you to create accounts in multiple currencies, including RUB. You can use it for making & accepting payments, withdrawing to bank cards or crypto wallets etc. There are numerous WebMoney betting sites that accept Russians, so you won’t spend too much time finding your next destination.

⏩ Crypto: If you’d like to escape the tight government surveillance and scrutiny of your betting activities, there’s no better alternative than cryptocurrency, as blockchain transfers are much harder to track by local authorities. Tether bookmakers are preferred by bettors, as they can essentially transact in USD without worrying about price fluctuations. However, crypto-friendly bookmakers also host other options such as BTC, ETH and XRP. Since they function on a global, decentralized network, crypto transactions are secure and protect the privacy interests of Russian players.

Are VISA/Mastercard Payments Possible?

In March 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, geopolitical sanctions and regulatory changes have been imposed on the country. VISA and Mastercard have announced the suspension of their operations in Russia. In addition, cards issued in Russia can’t be used internationally anymore, and those issued outside of Russia can’t be used within the country, either.

As such, the vast majority of transactions are handled through the MIR system, the national Sberbank or through the e-wallets we’ve listed previously.

Do International Betting Sites Accept RUB?

Many offshore platforms take Russian Rubles for deposits and withdrawals, which is a great benefit in terms of localization. For starters, Russian players can use local e-wallets compatible with RUB, thus avoiding currency exchange fees and managing their bankroll more effectively. Finally, some platforms also issue sports bonuses in RUB, meaning that it’s much easier to calculate the inherent value of an offer, without creating any confusion.

The Future of Online Betting in Russia

Even if the Russian government believes that the country’s online betting market is well-regulated, the bitter truth is that it isn’t. The new system that will replace the two SROs remains to be seen in practice. Players are still taxed on their winnings when betting on licensed bookies, so most of them prefer to place their bets on unlicensed operators.

The top bookmakers in Russia are actually big international brands, and despite the impending arrival of the new regulator, things don’t seem to be getting better for them. Thus, the Russian betting environment, especially towards international operators, is still in need of a more relaxed set of rules.

Gambling Regulations in Nearby Countries

⏩ Belarus: gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and quickly legalized its gambling scene. If you are looking to gamble online, you can choose from any of the 50+ licensed and many other unlicensed Belarus bet sites.

⏩ Georgia: has a regulated and legal market that caters to locals and appeals to Turkish bettors that cross the border to enjoy betting. Gambling in the country has seen remarkable growth year-to-year in revenue. There are quite a few licensed Georgia betting sites operating alongside many international bookies to which access is not restricted.