Serfdom in Russia lack of primogeniture, and the high turnover and mobility from estate to estate. The Tsar's aunt Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna played a powerful role backstage in the years 1855 to 1861. Using her close relationship with her nephew Alexander II, she supported and guided his desire for emancipation, and helped mobilize the support of key advisors. In 1861 Alexander II freed all serfs in a major agrarian reform, stimulated in part by his view that "it is better to liberate the peasants from above" than to wait until they won their freedom by risings "from below". Serfdom was abolished in
Gambling in Russia Gambling in Russia Gambling in Russia is legal in only four regional subject areas, and in 2009 was made illegal in all other areas of Russia. In 2009, gambling was banned almost everywhere in Russia. The only exceptions are four specially arranged zones in the Altai, Krasnodar, Kaliningrad, and Primorsky regions. Gambling has been a major policy problem for the Russian government since the early 21st century. The problem was the rapidly increasing number of slot machines and gambling houses, including casinos, spreading all over the country. This caused a little concern for the government. According to city officials, after