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Football fans will be able to pay Bitcoin for accommodation when they visit Russia for this year's World Cup. Hotels in Kaliningrad, which expect guests from eight countries, partner with a local payment service provider to offer the service.

Kaliningrad, the capital of the westernmost region of Russia, is one of the host cities of the FIFA World Cup for 2018. The World Cup will be held in the Russian Federation from June 14th to July 15th. The city awaits teams and supporters from Spain, Belgium, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Croatia, Morocco, and Nigeria. Hotel owners have decided to offer their guests the opportunity to pay for their stay with Bitcoin. According to local media, a hotel chain has already contacted the payment processor to provide the service. Anna Subotina, Manager of Apartments Malina commented:

>"We decided that fans should be able to pay for our services with this innovative currency."

It expects other hotels in the area to follow the example soon and offer crypto payment options. Her company is a partner with one of the Russian providers of electronic payment services that supports crypto transactions, including payments to Bitcoin. Vitaly Lavrov, Free-Kassa Development Manager, commented:

"This is an interesting partnership for us - so far we have not worked with hotels. The hospitality industry is quite sensitive to new trends. "

Host accommodation prices have risen several times before the championship. According to Yannis Dzinis, who is PR Director at Aviasales Travel, Kaliningrad is among the most expensive destinations. He added:

"The booking of a room on June 28, when England plays against Belgium will cost you RUB 18,000 (over $ 300). This is about 10 times more than ordinary tariffs. "

The World Cup will be played at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities. This is the first Mondial to be held in Russia, Eastern Europe and two continents - Europe and Asia. The video capture solution, which will help the referees, will also be used for the first time. Most stadiums are newly built or renovated. Kaliningrad will host 4 games. 32 national teams will compete for the World Cup.

Two bills regulating different aspects of the crypto introduced in the Russian Parliament this year. The first, the Digital Financial Assets Act, legalizes block technology, digital mining, and the initial offering of coins. The second bill, submitted this week, amends the Russian Civil Code to regulate the use of Bitcoin and the protection of investors' rights. Both bills are expected to be accepted by the summer, probably before the start of the World Cup.

image source - Instagram