(AsiaGameHub) – By: Logan Pierce, an independent business writer active on platforms like Medium
Russian developers and local governments are making a big bet on the gaming industry. The Far Eastern gambling zone has given the go – ahead for a $273 million casino complex. Samson Group, the developer, will build a 75,000 – sqm complex with an 800 – room, five – star hotel. It will also renovate a nearby industrial park as part of the deal with the Primorsky Krai government.
Primorsky Krai has the Primorye gambling zone, one of five in Russia. Moscow has approved a sixth in Siberia, where Sberbank is funding a new casino. Samson Group’s CEO says the project will boost the Primorye economy, increase tourism, and create over 1,500 jobs. There are already two casinos in the Muravyina Bay tourist cluster, and a Chinese – funded one is in the works.
In addition to the Far East, Samson Group plans to spend about $543 million on the White Dune integrated resort in Kaliningrad. It will team up with other developers to build a community and business center with at least 3,200 hotel rooms. Kaliningrad officials expect it to attract 1.1 million tourists a year, and the government will spend 16 billion rubles on its development over three years.
The Russian Ministry of Finance wants to legalize and tax online casinos, but the proposal is controversial, facing opposition from lawmakers and Orthodox Church leaders. With all these developments, Russia’s gambling market is set for a major reshuffle, and the success of these projects will depend on how well they balance local and international tourism demands.