The owner of the largest online poker site will pay a $4 million fine in the US for gifts to officials and $8.9 million in “consulting” fees to legalize the game in Russia

PokerStars lubed up Roskomnadzor

The owner of the largest online poker site will pay a $4 million fine in the US for gifts to officials and $8.9 million in “consulting” fees to legalize the game in Russia

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© agents.media03/14/2023, The owner of the largest online poker site will pay a $4 million fine for bribes in Russia

Flutter Entertainment, which owns PokerStars websitewill pay in the USA $4 million fine. The American authorities considered that the company violated the law on bribery, trying to legalize poker in Russia.

Details. The Securities and Exchange Commission found that Stars Group, the previous owner of PokerStars, paid out about $8.9 million to Russian officials and government agencies, including Roskomnadzor, from 2015 to 2020 in an attempt to lobby for the legalization of poker in the country.

Part of the money that the Stars Group paid out went to give New Year gifts to Russian government officials and to pay for consulting services to a Russian state agency, the Securities Commission said.

Flutter, which bought PokerStars in 2020, has reached a $4 million settlement with the SEC. Under the terms of the deal, the company neither acknowledges nor refutes the agency’s allegations.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Flutter announced its withdrawal from Russia.

Context. In Russia, PokerStars operated in gambling zones before the war, including holding poker tournaments in Sochi.