(RNS/ENI) The Russian Orthodox Church has welcomed a nationwide shutdown of casinos and other gambling houses under a new law, which will restrict gaming to four remote investment-starved regions of the world’s biggest country.

“Gambling games imposed on every street corner deprived people of freedom, and made them listen to deceitful promises,” said the Rev. Vsevolod Chaplin, the head of the Church and Society Department of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“Today, it has finally become clear that it has come to an end. It shows again we are a rather powerful society capable of coping with those who made money through others’ naivety, and through numerous human tragedies.”

Chaplin spoke soon after the new law, which has closed poker tables, roulette wheels and slot machines around the country, took effect on July 1.

In an interview with the Russian Interfax news agency, Chaplin said casinos and gambling halls had “promised easy money but concealed disgusting reality.” He believed Russians had tired of the “numerous human tragedies caused by the passion for games.”

The new law is expected to result in around 300,000 job losses in Russia’s estimated $7 billion gambling industry. Gambling in Russia will now be restricted to the four development zones of southern Krasnodar, the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, eastern Siberia’s Altai region and Russia’s Far East.

Chaplin said Orthodox clergy had frequently highlighted the “harm inflicted by gambling,” and said Russians needed a reminder that “there are much more interesting and worthy things in life than wasting time on gambling games, drinking alcohol, abusing drugs or sinking in the world of virtual entertainment.”

“I know from my priestly experience that many people have spent their last cent on gambling games,” he said. “This passion has led many people to life tragedies, and some people have even committed suicide when they found themselves in debt.”