Bitcointalk has been blocked in Russia because of Gambling advertisement

[Saint-loup]

Domain "bitcointalk.org" was blocked yesterday, 25.03.2020 by Roscomnadzor.

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N 2-6-20/2017-07-13-1796-AИ from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation dated 13.07.2017.

Additional information about this case can be found here: https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1250933/

As you can find out from the link above, they blocked this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1620600.0 in which was discussion about BitStarz casino scamming people.

It seems that gambling discussion caused tax services of Russia to ban whole cryptocurrency forum.

That's a surprising news  
But are we really sure it's because of gambling? It can be an alibi to censor bitcointalk.org while they don't want to give the real reason.

[adzino]

Domain "bitcointalk.org" was blocked yesterday, 25.03.2020 by Roscomnadzor.

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N 2-6-20/2017-07-13-1796-AИ from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation dated 13.07.2017.

Additional information about this case can be found here: https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1250933/

As you can find out from the link above, they blocked this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1620600.0 in which was discussion about BitStarz casino scamming people.

It seems that gambling discussion caused tax services of Russia to ban whole cryptocurrency forum.

Not sure how this works? No one over here provides gambling service. Only announcements take place over here. Its not like you can place bets on this forum. Why would discussion about gambling be taxed. Sounds more like people are getting taxed for expressing their opinion which is really sad.
Weird law I would say. But people are smart enough over here. They will eventually find a way .

[witcher_sense]

Not sure how this works? No one over here provids gambling service. Only announcements take place over here. Its not like you can place bets on this forum. Why would discussion about gambling be taxed. Sounds more like people are getting taxed for expressing their opinion which is really sad.
Weird law I would say. But people are smart enough over here. They will eventually find a way .

I agree, that's indeed weird law banning everything related to gambling or cryptocurrency discussion. Russians are losing their right to speak freely, freedom of speech is totally ruined. Of course, you can always use some tools to access any desirable website, but there is a problem I can see here. Imagine situation, when you want to visit kitchen in order to satisfy natural food needs. Every time you try to open the door of your fridge, you get a notification that says: "In order to access the food you need to do 10 pushups and 10 situps first". That's not a big deal, though and also this might help you to become sporty guy (or technically savvy guy in our case). But this also creates huge inconveniences.

[FIFA worldcup]

Domain "bitcointalk.org" was blocked yesterday, 25.03.2020 by Roscomnadzor.

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N 2-6-20/2017-07-13-1796-AИ from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation dated 13.07.2017.

Additional information about this case can be found here: https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1250933/

As you can find out from the link above, they blocked this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1620600.0 in which was discussion about BitStarz casino scamming people.

It seems that gambling discussion caused tax services of Russia to ban whole cryptocurrency forum.

That's a surprising news  
But are we really sure it's because of gambling? It can be an alibi to censor bitcointalk.org while they don't want to give the real reason.

When the whole world is suffering from coronavirus, there is no need for the Russian governments to take such steps which may directly or indirectly upset people. Even if they want to ban bitcointalk and crypto, can't they wait and delay this decision until the virus crisis is over.  Russian government has taken the wrong step at a wrong time.

[Natalim]

Though this ban happened but I don't think the Russian community here will be affected, they can always find a method to still access the site, I'm sure using VPN is possible, right? Anyway, I can't understand why a certain forum is blocked just because it advertise a gambling site, that's very poor judgment because this is a big forum, it's does not promote gambling platforms only.

[Vishnu.Reang]

I have visited Russia and in every major city, in every nook and corner you can find illegal casinos. The ban on legal gambling is just one of the tools for the government to get bribes. Most of the illegal casino operators are foreigners (mostly Turks and Azeris) and they pay a certain amount of bribes to the authorities every month, so that they can operate without any harassment from the cops.

In Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkey gambling is completely prohibited as far as i know,  these countries have been shuttling gambling tourism since a very long time, these people are going to gambling to former soviet countries and Russia, and they are spending money in these countries, gambling income is as important as tourism income.

No surprise there. When you ban something, the demand actually increases. Highest level of drug abuse can be found in those countries which have the strictest punishment for drug usage. Similarly, the worst gambling addiction can be found in those countries, where all forms of gambling are illegal. What happens is that the sector will be forced to go underground and then it will come under the control of various mafias.

[mindrust]

Is the ban DNS based or IP based?

If it is a DNS based ban you can simply ignore it by changing your DNS numbers. (8.8.4.4 and 8.8.8.8 for google's DNS)

If it is an IP ban, you'll have to use a VPN.

[finaleshot2016]

I hope they knew that bitcointalk is an international forum where we can gather updated information about cryptocurrency. It's a wrong move for them to ban the whole forum if they just wanted to eliminate all the gambling platforms. I think it's better to ban those gambling platforms than the forum itself.

I bet Russians will still use VPN to access bitcointalk especially those reputable members of this forum that is from Russia.

[South Park]

The block is most certainly political and the gambling part was just a reason to throw to the public. If there would have been no gambling, they would have found another reason.
And as said, the block can be easily avoided. Just because politics and computer science are not BFF.

This is basically the truth, bitcointalk is the most important forum when it comes to cryptocurrencies so this is not about a casino or anything like that, they are trying to control the information and in this times of great uncertainty people are choosing to keep their money and this is scaring all the politicians, in my country there are already pleads from them for people to keep spending their money and if this does not happens then the economy will crumble, and if that happens then the people will begin to look for alternatives and bitcoin will be there for those people, as such Russia is taking preventive steps to avoid this from happening.

[snipie]

I hope they knew that bitcointalk is an international forum where we can gather updated information about cryptocurrency. It's a wrong move for them to ban the whole forum if they just wanted to eliminate all the gambling platforms. I think it's better to ban those gambling platforms than the forum itself.

I bet Russians will still use VPN to access bitcointalk especially those reputable members of this forum that is from Russia.

It is ridiculous indeed, it is like putting a poster mocking Putin on a wall and the response is destroying that building, easy! The owner has to remove it himself or else mother Russia will do it for you. Crap...
BTW in the first place I don't think Russian are logging here without VPN or Tor, didn't they?

[finaleshot2016]

I hope they knew that bitcointalk is an international forum where we can gather updated information about cryptocurrency. It's a wrong move for them to ban the whole forum if they just wanted to eliminate all the gambling platforms. I think it's better to ban those gambling platforms than the forum itself.

I bet Russians will still use VPN to access bitcointalk especially those reputable members of this forum that is from Russia.

It is ridiculous indeed, it is like putting a poster mocking Putin on a wall and the response is destroying that building, easy! The owner has to remove it himself or else mother Russia will do it for you. Crap...
BTW in the first place I don't think Russian are logging here without VPN or Tor, didn't they?

Yeah, but according to the VPN law of Russia, even they still use legal VPN, they will still not access bitcointalk. I don't know if it's applicable also in TOR. VPN providers are allowed in The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media or Roskomnadzor's blacklist so definitely, the forbidden websites can't be reached even using a legal VPN.

So I think it's time to say goodbye to our Russian friends here unless they find some other way to access the site legally.

[bitbunnny]

I hope they knew that bitcointalk is an international forum where we can gather updated information about cryptocurrency. It's a wrong move for them to ban the whole forum if they just wanted to eliminate all the gambling platforms. I think it's better to ban those gambling platforms than the forum itself.

I bet Russians will still use VPN to access bitcointalk especially those reputable members of this forum that is from Russia.

It is ridiculous indeed, it is like putting a poster mocking Putin on a wall and the response is destroying that building, easy! The owner has to remove it himself or else mother Russia will do it for you. Crap...
BTW in the first place I don't think Russian are logging here without VPN or Tor, didn't they?

Probably not, if they are smart enough.
However, this doesn't surprise me at all, it's a normal and ecpected thing for Russia. They have funny understanding of freedom and they like to ban all sorts of things but that will not stop Russian people doing what they want and what they like.

[pixie85]

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N.

Congratulations, now Russians are using the N word towards Bitcointalk

Russian government must have a lot of time to waste during the pandemics if with all that's going on they can focus on banning cryptocurrencies and blocking access to bitcointalk.

[stomachgrowls]

The block is most certainly political and the gambling part was just a reason to throw to the public. If there would have been no gambling, they would have found another reason.
And as said, the block can be easily avoided. Just because politics and computer science are not BFF.

This is basically the truth, bitcointalk is the most important forum when it comes to cryptocurrencies so this is not about a casino or anything like that, they are trying to control the information and in this times of great uncertainty people are choosing to keep their money and this is scaring all the politicians, in my country there are already pleads from them for people to keep spending their money and if this does not happens then the economy will crumble, and if that happens then the people will begin to look for alternatives and bitcoin will be there for those people, as such Russia is taking preventive steps to avoid this from happening.

What would you expect? Government would always be like that on where making actions to those things that against their liking and its not a new thing specially in talks of cryptocurrency.
Pretty sure that they arent only looking for gambling aspect but for further deeper reason.

They can ban all they want but accessing a site specially this forum wont really be hard.As mentioned earlier you can either change DNS or thru VPN so its still useless imho and also
im quite surprised that they do still dug up an old thread.

[bbc.reporter]

The ban is not stopping the Russians hehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=10.0

Also, the Chinese have their internet banned from the internet are also active hehehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=30.0

[Timelord2067]

With everyone in lockdown (I'm guessing Russia is in lockdown) more people will be turning to online racing, if bitcoin is not approved in Russia (again, an assumption on my part) then it stands to reason the authorities will block any sites related to bitcoin such as the forum.

The ban is not stopping the Russians hehehe.

Also, the Chinese have their internet banned from the internet are also active hehehehe.

The people on those boards might have IP blockers in place. (or aren't in affected areas?)

[kotajikikox]

Domain "bitcointalk.org" was blocked yesterday, 25.03.2020 by Roscomnadzor.

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N 2-6-20/2017-07-13-1796-AИ from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation dated 13.07.2017.

Additional information about this case can be found here: https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1250933/

As you can find out from the link above, they blocked this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1620600.0 in which was discussion about BitStarz casino scamming people.

It seems that gambling discussion caused tax services of Russia to ban whole cryptocurrency forum.

is this blocking happens only in a day and resumes after?or permanent banning?(things that i know not because Russia is one big place for crypto people)

The ban is not stopping the Russians hehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=10.0

Also, the Chinese have their internet banned from the internet are also active hehehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=30.0

Yeah Russian and Chinese again,is this their way of telling the world about their friendship?or just a coincidence ?

[witcher_sense]

is this blocking happens only in a day and resumes after?or permanent banning?(things that i know not because Russia is one big place for crypto people)

Not quite sure what you mean, but yea blacklisted means permanent banned, all russian internet providers are forced to prevent accessing from any russian IP-address.

Yeah Russian and Chinese again,is this their way of telling the world about their friendship?or just a coincidence ?

I believe that's just coincidence unless they started using cryptocurrency forums in political games.

So, what I have managed to find out from the law which regulates gambling and online gambling in Russia is that it doesn't say anything against gambling discussion,
so forum as a place for discussions can't be banned. Nonetheless, it is banned.

[aioc]

The ban is not stopping the Russians hehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=10.0

Also, the Chinese have their internet banned from the internet are also active hehehehe.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=30.0

They have the VPN to rely on, they can access this forum and any Cryptocurrency related websites, that's useless imposing their will to their people, Crypto supporters that are banned can always find a way they can never leave the industry just like that, they have a profit to make and they want to get involved on this technology because this is the future.   

[BlackFor3st]

Domain "bitcointalk.org" was blocked yesterday, 25.03.2020 by Roscomnadzor.

The reason for inclusion in the blacklist was a letter N 2-6-20/2017-07-13-1796-AИ from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation dated 13.07.2017.

Additional information about this case can be found here: https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1250933/

As you can find out from the link above, they blocked this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1620600.0 in which was discussion about BitStarz casino scamming people.

It seems that gambling discussion caused tax services of Russia to ban whole cryptocurrency forum.

There is a big chance that they are closely monitoring this forum and they are against how it works so they decided to banned it as I cannot believe that they just banned the entire forum because of gambling advertisement. I love the way how they like to prevent fraud in their country as they didn't like their people's money got stolen easily by those scammers.

But the way they act, I can see that there is more to it as I can see that this forum is going well for how many years but this is the first time that they decided to banned it in their country.