Russian Lawmakers Consider Banning ‘Esoteric’ and ‘Spiritual’ Services
Russian State Duma member Nina Ostanina has proposed a new bill to amend existing laws and ban the promotion of various occult services and online resources, which she claims are a threat to citizens’ mental and financial well-being.
The proposed law would target services such as astrology, magic, energy healing and fortune-telling, which Ostanina claims lack scientific basis and often lead people astray and are used for fraudulent purposes.
According to Ostanina, these fraudulent practices have already caused significant financial losses, with over 100 billion rubles (approximately 1.06 billion euros) being stolen from households and families in 2024 alone.
The proposed law would affect tarot card readers, mediums, crystal therapists, numerologists and other esoteric service providers, as stated in the explanatory notes to the bill.
International precedents suggest that regulating such businesses can reduce the risk of fraud, Ostanina said.
According to a survey by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTSIOM) from last year, about six out of ten Russians have at least once used esoteric services and every fourth person believes in their effectiveness.
The Russian “magic” market has grown by 20%, while the traffic on websites offering these services increased by 38% in 2024, according to the MK newspaper in December. The estimated annual turnover of the industry in Russia last year was in the trillions of rubles, comparable to the annual food expenses of Russians.