Russia opposes gambling, except in a handful of special zones supply revenue to the government. Allowing people to gamble as they please and spend their money how they want, however, isn’t on Russia’s list of likes.

It started with land-based casinos and poker rooms, which were banned in July of 2009. There is a loophole in the law, however. The law makes it a crime for the companies to run gambling businesses, but it does not criminalize gambling on the player’s part. Since it’s legal for players to gamble but there are no legal casinos in which to play, online gambling has increased in Russia. Players have been legally placing bets and playing their favorite casino games online. Now Russia’s government wants to put an end to that activity.

A new bill has been introduced by Ivan Savvidi that makes it illegal for Russian citizens to gamble using the internet or mobile networks. Such a law would make all online gambling illegal. The bill proposes fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 rubles for violating the law.

Russia taking more freedom away from the people isn’t exactly surprising. After all, their Prime Minister is a former KGB officer and he has in no way distanced himself from that dark past. In addition to the new bill closing a loophole that allows players to gamble online, it would also clear up a loophole about slot machines.

The current law defines slots in such a way that game manufacturers have been able to design slot-like games that are technically legal. “People are trying to escape responsibility by using machines that are capable of doing everything that is banned by the law,” said Irina Tulubyeva, a partner from the law firm Tulubeya, Osipov and Partners.

Alexander Pochinok, a member of the Federation Council and co-author of the bill, said that a new and clearer definition of slot machines “is the most important part of my bill.” So it seems like the government will be adding online gambling and playing of certain slot-like games to the list of things their comrades can no longer do in Russia.

Moscow officials are concerned that a recent ban on gambling in Russia has led to a rise in online gambling. In fact, as hundreds of legitimate casinos have been closed down, many internet cafes have sprung up. Worry not, though. The authorities are doing their best to stamp that out, by raiding illegal casinos, internet cafes and other establishments that cater to those who believe in doing what they want with their own money.

Roughly a third of the casinos once in existence currently stand in Russia, and those now only sell lottery tickets, except for the few that are getting raided and shut down. Is that trampling on freedom? Well, historically speaking, that’s not exactly a Russian concern. They would be concerned, of course, if the government found they are missing out on a lot of money. However, Moscow Deputy Mayor Sergei Baidakov, who I like to call Ungle Serg, stated that the ban on gambling has only caused tax revenues to drop by 0.5%. “It’s nil compared to the benefits to the health of the nation.”

Right, their concern is for the health of the nation! I keep overlooking that. Maybe it’s because their Prime Minister is an ex-KGB agent, they have a history of starving their own people, murdering political dissenters (or putting them in the gulags), silencing debate, conquering other countries, and denying their people basic civil liberties. Hey, Russia, if you are concerned for the health of the nation, here’s something you should give a try: freedom.

Yeah, I know. Believe it or not, people enjoy having it. Maybe that’s why, despite your beautiful white winters and charming hospitality, you get considerably fewer immigrants than, say, America for example.

But of course Moscow isn’t really concerned for the health of the nation, at least not in any rational way. But that is the problem with a big government like they have in Russia. Big government does not see people as individuals, but as a mass of resources to fuel said government. Sure, individuals want to be able to criticize Vladimir Putin without being blacklisted. Sure, individuals would like to vote in an election that has not been carefully engineered by the government. Sure, individuals would like to protest without disappearing off the face of the earth. Sure, individual laborers would like to be treated better than indentured servants. Sure, individuals would like to be able to spend their own money on a game in a casino without being imprisoned. But when you look at society as a whole, does it really matter what those individuals want? Whether they’re happy or not, they will pay their taxes and do their work (both out of fear of imprisonment), so their health, their happiness, is of no concern to Moscow.

You know how those kids who were always picked on by the bullies ended up being the smart, successful people in life while the bullies spend their time in prison, working at a convenience store, or both? Well, I think those crafty Ukranians can fit in the former category. Ukraine is best known for constantly getting its head dunked in the toilet by the bully Russia, but all of that time being victimized has helped them learn some ingenuity and resilience.

Faced with a ban on gambling, Ukranian businesses got creative. Internet clubs have recently sprung up all over the place. In these clubs, people pay for club for access to a computer. They then play multiple gambling games online. When their money runs out, they pay the club for more. The servers for the websites they are visiting are offshore and thus, not affected by the Ukranian ban. By all accounts, unless the Ukraine decides to ban online gambling, this circumvention of the gambling ban is completely legal.

Even so, it is expected that these internet clubs will have some legal battles in their future. Legislation may outlaw online gambling or may come up with certain restrictions for it. A higher priority, though, is shutting down some casinos that are still operating illegally in the country. For now, however, Ukranians are enjoying their online gambling thanks to the loophole in the ban. Good job, Ukraine. I knew you would turn out okay, no matter what that mean Russia said about you.