Russia’s biggest sports broadcaster is backing off plans to expand into bookmaking, while Mastercard is back processing gambling transactions for Russian-licensed bookies.

On Tuesday, Russian media outlet Kommersant reported that sports broadcaster Match TV had ditched plans to launch a Match Betting service. The broadcaster, considered Russia’s equivalent to ESPN, launched a tender for a betting technology partner last October, with the hope of launching its betting site in time for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Kommersant explained that the broadcaster’s change of heart came following a change in its upper management, with the new bosses reportedly expressing doubts as to the ability of the new venture to be ready in time for the World Cup kickoff in May.

Another factor may have been Russia’s strict limits on bookmakers’ ability to advertise during sports broadcasts – capped at 20% of the maximum nine minutes of ad time per hour – and the broadcaster apparently felt promoting its own product would limit other bookmakers’ ability to advertise, with a resulting loss in advertising revenue.