The government of Russia is actively considering legalizing and managing online poker, according to Russian business and politics daily Kommersant, thus opening up a potentially huge market which may be worth $145 million yearly in fiscal revenue alone.

The Russian daily publication says that Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has instructed the Ministry for Economic developing and the Ministry of Justice to compile a written report on legalizing Internet poker, which can be due for consideration on July 21st. Kommersant said that the given information had been supplied by unidentified sources within the government.

Moscow has apparently been swayed by certain projections that are fiscal with some analysts claiming that online poker legalization could bring 2 to 3 billion rubles ($58 million to $87.5 million) towards the state’s coffers per year, a figure that may potentially swell to exceed 5 billion rubles ($145 million) within five years.

The former figure is centered on a model in which 1 to 1.5 billion rubles would be levied as being a taxation on operators, with a similar quantity from the players’ tax. Whether Russia would adopt a framework that is monopolistic an open market remains to be seen.

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