Duma Committee Recommends Adoption Of Gambling Tax Bill

The State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes has recommended that the lower house should pass the bill on amendments to the second part of the Tax Code of Russia and Article 19 of the Law on Principles of the Tax System of Russia. The bill provides for exempting prizes in cash and in kind received by a taxpayer from organizers of gambling businesses from taxation. In order to compensate the budget for those taxes to be canceled, the bill provides for raising the tax on gambling businesses. The minimum monthly tax rates to be set are as follows: 40,000 rubles (about $1,355) per gambling table, 1,500 rubles (about $51) per slot-machine, 40,000 rubles (about $1,355) per cash desk of a betting shop, 20,000 rubles (about $678) per cash desk of a bookmaker's office. The tax rates are to be reduced by 20% in the event that the number of items of a certain category exceeds 30 for gambling tables, and 40 for slot-machines.