Due to the constantly changing conditions of modern reality, the world is faced with the need to find effective tools for solving social problems. One of these vectors is the development of social entrepreneurship being an essential element of the social economy. This phenomenon appeared at the junction of the non-profit sector and traditional entrepreneurship, combining the social mission with the desire to make a profit. Social entrepreneurship has become widespread in many regions of the world, at the same time its formation is characterized by certain territorial peculiarities. In this regard, this article analyzes the extent and trends of social entrepreneurship in the regions of Russia. The research is based on the materials of departmental statistics, sociological and expert surveys. The study outlines the main barriers preventing a more active expansion of the sector. The research reveals that alongside with certain positive aspects in the development of social entrepreneurship in Russia (an increase in its scale and expansion to new industry niches, in particular), there still exist a number of problematic dimensions: imperfection of the regulatory framework; the necessity to annually confirm the social enterprise status; concerns of organizations about greater control by supervisory authorities and increased paper reporting; low social activity of the population; citizens' uncertainty about their influence on the authorities' decisions, etc. The study indicates the necessity to increase the effectiveness of existing support tools for this type of entrepreneurship. The trends identified underline the importance of adjusting modern state policy towards the improvement of the institutional environment for social entrepreneurship development.