History of Casinos in the USSR: How Things Were with Gambling 40 or More Years Ago

The history of casinos in the USSR resembles a paradoxical chronicle: a country with strict control over the economy and ideology lived side by side with a phenomenon built on risk, calculation, and chance. Underground rooms with cards and roulette existed in the shadow of planned economy, while official lotteries like “Sportloto” masked the thirst for winning under a cultural and social project.

Gambling and Politics: Contradiction of the Era

The history of casinos in the USSR began in the first decades after the revolution. The state was establishing control over every sphere of life. However, gambling entertainment never completely disappeared. In the 1920s, authorities allowed lotteries to replenish the budget and finance major projects. People bought tickets, believing in the possibility of winning money, but the main result remained the strengthening of the treasury.

The first casinos in the USSR in their familiar form appeared later, in the post-war years, but they existed in a semi-legal form. Halls in Moscow or Sochi were hidden under the guise of recreation clubs, where behind closed doors, roulette spun, cards rustled, and the dealer announced bets.

History of Casinos in the USSR: Katrans, Cheaters, and the Law

The history of gambling establishments is closely linked to underground “katrans.” These establishments operated secretly, violating the law, but were in demand. Players of different levels gathered in katrans: from simple workers to shadowy figures who risked not only money but also freedom. Cheaters deceived gullible participants, and the police periodically conducted raids.

The Soviet gambling business faced strict restrictions. The prohibition of gambling in the USSR was enshrined in legislative acts that classified such practices as criminal offenses. However, the authorities could not completely eradicate gambling.

Official Forms: Lotteries and “Sportloto”

The history was marked by duality: the state prohibited underground tables but actively developed legal lotteries. The most popular was “Sportloto,” launched in the 1970s. Tickets were sold nationwide, and winnings were discussed through rumors and newspaper notes. This system provided the illusion of gambling and the opportunity to win money, while the state received a stable source of funding for sports and socially significant projects.

Lotteries and card games under state control formed a special type of culture: playing was allowed, but only in formats where winning did not disrupt the planned economy.

Moscow and Sochi: Different Capitals of Gambling

The history of casinos in the USSR was particularly vivid in major cities. Moscow with its intellectual salons and hidden rooms preserved an atmosphere of the underground. Conversations about poker and card games were heard here, discussions revolved around bet amounts and ways to circumvent prohibitions.

In contrast, Sochi turned into a resort center where the gambling business in the USSR had a freer breath. Tourists and vacationers on the Black Sea coast sought entertainment, and it was there that underground casinos operated more actively. Sochi in the 1970s-1980s was often referred to as the southern “capital of roulette.”

History of Casinos in the USSR: Roulette, Poker, and Bets

The history of gambling establishments was closely related to classic games. Roulette and poker became symbols of risk and chance. Bets in such games were not measured by official figures – money was passed from hand to hand, creating a parallel world where the ruble had not only economic but also psychological value.

Players entered into the thrill, calculated combinations, hoped for luck, but risked more than they could afford. The dealer controlled the process, created an atmosphere, and monitored the course of the game.

List of Factors Influencing the Development of the Gambling Sphere in the USSR

The development of the gambling sphere in the USSR was determined by a complex set of circumstances – from politics to culture. Let’s consider the key factors that shaped its unique and contradictory nature:

1. Legislation: the prohibition of gambling activities persisted for decades, shaping the underground nature of the industry.
2. Economy: constant money shortages drove people to seek quick winnings, despite the risks.
3. Culture: the Soviet way of life officially rejected gambling, but unofficially maintained interest in card games and lotteries.
4. Geography: Moscow concentrated intellectual clubs, while Sochi transformed into a resort center for gambling entertainment.
5. Time: in the 1920s, lotteries were allowed for budget purposes, in the 1980s, underground gambling business in the USSR reached its peak of popularity.

These factors created a dual reality: official policy rejected gambling, but society consistently found ways to engage in it. Therefore, history became a reflection of the contradictions between ideology and human desire for risk.

1980s: Peak of the Underground and Anticipation of Change

The history of gambling establishments reached its peak intensity in the 1980s. Underground katrans multiplied, card games attracted entire companies, and bets grew along with shortages of goods and money. People sought an alternative to the dull planned everyday life, and gambling created an atmosphere of going beyond the limits.

In these years, the Soviet gambling business took on new forms: secret clubs appeared on the outskirts of major cities, where roulette spun until morning. Players were aware of the risk of falling into the hands of the police, but the risk did not deter them. The stricter the prohibition, the stronger the desire to circumvent the legislation grew.

Legalization as the Idea of the End of an Era

The history of casinos in the USSR reached a turning point in the late 1980s when the topic of legalization was first raised in public discussions. Weakening control, openness, and new economic approaches opened up space for experiments. Already then, entrepreneurs dreamed of bringing the gambling business out of the shadows, turning it into a source of income and tourism.

Official legalization occurred later, already in the new Russia, but the roots of this process go back to the final years of the Soviet system. By that time, card games, lotteries, and underground rooms had formed an entire culture that could not be ignored.

Card Games and Leisure Culture

The history of casinos in the USSR was not limited to roulette or poker. Card games became part of leisure and cultural tradition. “Durak” was played in communal apartments, “preferans” in companies, and poker strategy was discussed in closed circles. Lotteries gave legality to gambling, creating a balance between entertainment and the state’s official position.

This duality emphasized the peculiarity of the Soviet approach: control over mass forms and the hidden existence of individual practice.

History of Casinos in the USSR: Paradox and Legacy

History demonstrates the conflict between official prohibition and actual practice. The state tried to regulate gambling entertainment, but demand created underground katrans, bets, and cheaters. Moscow and Sochi became centers of activity, and lotteries like “Sportloto” legalized the desire for risk.

The Soviet experience showed that prohibition does not eliminate the phenomenon but merely shifts it into the shadows. Legalization in the post-Soviet period became a logical continuation of a process that developed covertly for decades. This history explains why the gambling business subsequently gained significant influence and scale.

History of Casinos in the USSR: Conclusions

The history of casinos in the USSR reflects the hidden side of life that could not be destroyed by administrative methods. Underground katrans, card games, lotteries, and dealers created a unique atmosphere where money became a symbol of risk and hope. Prohibition created an underground world, but legalization opened a new chapter, continuing a tradition that originated back in the 1920s.