Over the last few years, Russian authorities have increasingly focused on regulating the gaming industry, culminating in the submission of a comprehensive bill to the State Duma (lower house of the Russian parliament) in late 2024.

The bill is the result of a years-long discussion on regulatory approaches, driven by various stakeholders. It aims to introduce both measures of state support for domestic game studios and to introduce compliance mechanisms for foreign companies operating in the Russian market, along with enshrining to the legislation basic game-related terminology.

In practice, the draft legislation seeks to formally integrate the gaming sector into Russia’s regulatory landscape through a structured system of oversight mechanisms that previously did not apply to the industry.

At the same time, the regulatory approach still remains eclectic. Alongside the bill, several other initiatives are under discussion, aimed at expanding or complementing the measures proposed. These ongoing developments have elicited mixed responses from industry representatives, contributing to a cautious pace of implementation and the absence of firm deadlines. While originally the framework regulation of the video game industry was expected in spring 2025, current projections suggest potential adoption by the end of 2025.

This memo provides a detailed overview of the evolving policy trajectory of the Russian authorities toward the gaming industry, outlining the key elements of the emerging regulatory framework and highlighting potential risks relevant to international game studios and platforms.