Russia’s lower house has passed a bill (Bill 478806-6) banning online poker outside of Russia’s (now six) designated legal gambling zones: Altai Krai, Kaliningrad region, Krasnodar Krai, Primorsky Krai, Crimea  and Sochi. The bill now goes to the upper house.  If this bill becomes law punishments and fines of up to 500,000 rubles or two years in prison would be leveled at players.  Operators would face even higher fines and up to seven years in prison.