Since September 1, one of the oldest bookmakers in Russia has temporarily stopped accepting bets. The official version is — «a short pause for product updates». The words of its own CEO paint a different picture: a change of shareholders, a new manager, and the sale of the license.
In the previous article about banners on bookmaker websites, we noted that September 1, 2026, became a symbolic date for several changes in the Russian betting market. On the same day, one of the oldest betting companies in the country — «Tennis» — suspended accepting bets. The official statement from the company and the details revealed by its own CEO in an interview significantly differ from each other.
We are examining what exactly happened, why the official and unofficial versions do not match, and what the new tax burden on bookmakers, which we wrote about earlier, has to do with it.
In Brief
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What happened | Betting has been suspended since September 1, 2026 |
| Official reason | Restructuring and updating the website and app |
| What did the CEO say in a separate interview | The company is selling the license, the shareholder composition and CEO will change |
| New company model | From a betting operator to a B2B software provider |
| Did the tax reform influence the decision | The CEO confirmed that it did |
| Until when can funds be withdrawn | Until September 30, 2026, inclusive |
| Does the CEO predict closures of other bookmakers in 2026 | No — he publicly denies such a scenario |
What Happened Officially
«Tennis» is a betting company operating in the Russian market since 1999. Since September 1, 2026, it has temporarily suspended the operation of its website, app, and betting points. In an official statement on its website, the company clarified that all bets made before September 1 will be settled, and funds can be withdrawn from the gaming account until September 30, 2026, inclusive.
What the CEO Said in a Separate Interview
A few days after the public statement, the company's CEO Ruslan Suleymanov gave an extensive interview, revealing details absent from the official statement.
When directly asked whether the ownership structure would change, Suleymanov confirmed: the shareholder composition is changing, and there will be a new CEO. This means that it is not just a technical pause for interface updates, but a sale of the business and a transition of the company into a new role — a technology provider for another brand, rather than an independent betting operator.
What the Tax Reform Has to Do with It
In the same interview, Suleymanov publicly linked the decision to suspend operations with the increasing tax burden on the industry — the very increase in taxes that we discussed in detail in our article about the reform of taxation for bookmakers.
This is a direct, unequivocal confirmation that the tax increase — a 7% tax on gambling and a 25% profit tax, which we wrote about earlier — has become one of the factors influencing the decision to sell the license, rather than a mere coincidence in timing.
Contradiction: The Same Person Says «There Will Be No Closures»
This is where it gets interesting. After the details of the «Tennis» deal became known, the same Suleymanov, in a separate comment, assessed the prospects of the entire market much more optimistically.
The mention of «faith in online casinos» is also intriguing: it resonates with the discussed initiative of the Ministry of Finance regarding the legalization of online casinos in Russia, which we wrote about earlier — that is, part of the industry sees the potential expansion of the legal market as a source of growth that could offset increased costs.
Another Piece of the Puzzle: Forecast on Self-Ban
In those same days, another indicative forecast emerged — not from «Tennis», but from another industry expert assessing the effect of the new self-ban mechanism on the entire market.
This is the first public quantitative assessment of how the state self-ban, which came into effect on September 1, may affect the revenue of legal operators — and it appeared literally at the same time as the story with "Tennisi." Both narratives show the same thing: September 2026 became a moment of simultaneous pressure on the industry from several sides — taxes, self-ban, new advertising requirements.
Timeline
- End of August 2026"Tennisi" publishes an official statement about a temporary pause starting September 1, explaining it as a restructuring and product update.
- August 28, 2026CEO Ruslan Suleimanov reveals details in a separate interview: sale of the license, change of shareholders and CEO, transition to a B2B provider status; confirms the impact of tax reform on the decision.
- September 1, 2026"Tennisi" stops accepting bets on the website, in the app, and at betting points.
- September 2, 2026Suleimanov publicly states that there will be no closures of bookmakers in Russia this year.
- September 3, 2026A forecast appears about a possible outflow of up to 15% of the market due to the self-ban in the worst-case scenario.
- By September 30, 2026Clients of "Tennisi" retain the ability to withdraw funds from gaming accounts.
What’s Next
- Who will become the new owner of the "Tennisi" license and the new CEO of the company;
- Will the updated product launch under the same brand or a new name;
- Will Suleimanov's optimistic forecast about the absence of closures among other bookmakers in 2026 be confirmed;
- How accurate will the forecast of a 5–15% market outflow due to the self-ban turn out to be;
- Will we see similar deals of "license sale + change to B2B model" among other operators against the backdrop of increasing tax burden.
Conclusion
The story with "Tennisi" is a good example of why official press releases and the words of the company's top executives should be read carefully and in conjunction. Publicly, the company speaks of a "small pause." In a detailed interview, the same person describes the sale of the license, the change of shareholders and management, the transition to a technology provider status — and directly confirms that the increase in the tax burden on the industry was one of the factors in this decision.
Whether the story with "Tennisi" was about closing the business or transforming it into a new model is partly a terminological question. But the acknowledgment by the CEO himself regarding the influence of taxes makes this case a vivid example of how decisions made at the level of state tax policy translate into specific business decisions of specific companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the bookmaker "Tennisi"?
As of September 1, 2026, the company suspended accepting bets on the website, in the app, and at betting points. This was officially explained as restructuring and product updating.
Has "Tennisi" completely closed?
Formally no — the company states that it will continue to operate as a software provider (B2B provider), while the betting business in Russia will be taken over by a new team after the sale of the license.
Did the new tax burden influence "Tennisi's" decision?
Yes, the company's CEO Ruslan Suleimanov directly confirmed this in an interview, noting that the trend of increasing tax burden on the industry was taken into account when assessing the medium-term prospects of the business.
Until what date can "Tennisi" clients withdraw their money?
Until September 30, 2026, inclusive.
Are closures of other bookmakers in Russia expected in 2026?
The CEO of "Tennisi" himself publicly assessed such a scenario as unlikely, citing the industry's resilience and hopes for possible legalization of online casinos.
How can the self-ban affect bookmakers' revenue?
According to one industry estimate, by the end of September 2026, an outflow of about 5% of deposits is possible, and in the worst-case scenario — a loss of up to 15% of the market by the end of the year.
Will the owner of "Tennisi" change?
Yes, the CEO confirmed that the shareholder composition will change, and a new CEO will be appointed.
Sources
- Sports.ru (betting industry) — "Tennisi has stopped accepting bets. Clients can withdraw funds until September 30," September 2026
- Sports.ru — "Tennisi on the suspension of operations: we were an operator — we will become a provider," citing Betonmobile, August 2026
- Sports.ru — "Tennisi's head Suleimanov: there will be no closures of bookmakers this year," September 2026
- Sports.ru — "Sergeev on the self-ban on gambling: I expect about 5% outflow of deposits by the end of September," September 2026
This material was prepared by BET RATING based on public statements from "Tennisi" and its management, published by the industry publication Sports.ru, as of September 2026. The situation around the company continues to evolve; the article will be updated as new information becomes available.
Gambling involves the risk of losing money.
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