Short version – gambling is legal in Belarus.

A lot of fine print is set to follow, but that is the gist of it. Belarus offers legal gambling options as part of a bid to boost the tourist industry in the country. And to be honest, it has worked a charm so far. Belarusians don’t seem to have the same serious problem with gambling as Australians, so the influx of casinos has been more than welcome for locals and tourists alike. In fact, Belarus can now be considered one of the gambling havens of Eastern Europe.

The question is: are all forms of gambling allowed?

Well, no. Belarusian law recognizes four specific forms of gambling that are allowed:

• Slot machine play;
• Game tables;
• Sports betting;
• Box office sweepstakes

This means that casinos and bookmaker offices can operate freely, and many other establishments are allowed to host machines and counters in separate parlours. To run gambling activities, you need a license which is issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Licenses can be issued to firms or to individual entrepreneurs, but getting one isn’t easy. The cost would vary depending on the gambling activity, but you should expect something in the region of $5,000.

You may have noticed the omission of online games from the gambling type overview. Well, the truth is that things are very unclear there – because nowhere in the laws themselves are online casinos mentioned. However, considering that the wording is focused on permitting certain forms of gambling, it is safe to assume that online gambling is, in fact, forbidden. For that reason, you will not find any online casino registered in Belarus. Of course, this does not stop Belarusians from playing at casinos. They simply use offshore sites; finding one isn’t that easy, because for a long time there were attempts to block such sites. Still, most Belarusians find a way if they want to, and there has been a lot of noise about legalising online gambling anyways.

Running a casino or any gambling activity in Belarus is also tied to paying certain taxes, which vary according to the establishment. Most entrepreneurs have been grumbling against the 4% income tax that affects any gambling win. It overcomplicates things a little bit and is yet to be removed.

If you are visiting the country, then you should know that you will find the most casinos in the capital Minsk – as well as some of the best pubs in the country. When they hear of Minsk, most people expect something dark and gritty, still carrying the old Soviet spirit, but the city is actually very scenic and quite popular with tourists – just take a look at those sights! The city boasts no less than 8 casinos and many smaller parlours for a quick spin.

In my next posts, I will be telling which the best casinos in Minsk are.

Да пабачэння, friends! Anthony

Minsk is a great place. I could talk about it in length, but many people have already done it, and much better than I can. So, you won’t hear me mentioning the Red Church, the Nezavisimosti Avenue or the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre. I will be focusing on the casinos, and there is a lot to talk about there. There are almost as many casinos in Minsk as there are in the whole of Russia. If you add all the smaller establishments and parlours, the number clocks up at 30+, but I won’t be covering most of those.

Without further ado, here are the casinos I consider as best in Minsk:

1. “Bela Veja” Casino Also spelt as Belaya Vezha, or simply White Vezha, the iconic Белая Вежа casino was founded in 2001 and is one of the oldest and grandest casino establishments in Minsk – and Belarus as a whole. It has a classic interior and something like an entertainment complex around it – with a prominent restaurant, a karaoke and some hookah rooms.

The strongest draw of the casino is that you can play many types of games. This makes it a preferred choice for locals. There are many slots – well, not as many as you will find in Vegas casinos, but still good by Belarusian standards – and a wide range of games such as Black Jack, Press Black Jack, Black Jack Switch, Oasis Poker, Russian Poker, Omaha Hold’em Poker, Texas Hold’em Poker, PuntoBanko ( Baccarat), Catch the Wave, BelaPoker , Ultimate Texas Hold’em, American Roulette, Big Five , Bony Dolls, Oasis Poker Gold, Russian Poker Gold, Texas Bonus Poker, Texas Hold’em Poker with Exchange and Split Poker.

2. Shangri La Casino Shangri La is smaller than Bela Veja, with about half as many slots and 15 or so gaming tables. However, it is very high-end. If you are looking for a pleasant stay and elite personnel, then this is the place to go. It offers a cosy restaurant and other activities such as billiard. For visitors to the city, there is also a casino tour that starts there.

Shangri La organises regular events, so I quite like it to be honest. There always seems to be something going on there, so Belarusian gamblers can often be seen there even if they usually prefer other casinos.

3. Victoria Cherry Casino The name does not sound much better in Belarusian than it does in English, but it is one of the better ones in Minsk. It is a little bit hidden, and you can find it on the ninth floor of the Victoria Hotel & Business Centre. Getting there can be a little harder, but it still a very scenic part of the city, and the casino offers a great view.

There are a lot of slots at the Victoria Cherry, but the tables can be a little bit crowded since there are only 9 of them. The casino is considered great for poker nights, and there are many types of poker you can play there.

And Others… The above are just my top picks of the Minsk casinos. They offer a good mix between new and old, and a wide variety of games. As a regular, I like to mix things a little bit, but any of these would be more than worthy of a visit. There are other casinos in Minsk too. The Opera and the Royal are two of the better ones, but I would be giving them a skip for varying reasons.

Да пабачэння, friends! Anthony