ArmInfo. Hayk Sargsyan, a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from the ruling Civil Contract faction, proposed legislatively restricting the participation of some citizens in online casinos. The National Assembly Committee on Economic Affairs is discussing amendments to the law "On the Regulation of Gambling Activities" and a package of related documents submitted by the member of parliament at its November 29 meeting.
In his speech, Hayk Sargsyan noted that from 2017 to 2025, betting volumes in the gambling industry in Armenia increased 35-fold. While these volumes amounted to 0.21 trillion drams in 2017, they will reach 7.41 trillion drams in 2025. At the same time, tax deductions and duties did not increase at the same rate. On the contrary, in 2024, compared to 2017, they decreased by 1.8%, and by 1% in 2025.
In this situation, where gambling addiction is becoming a real evil, as the parliamentarian noted, steps must be taken to protect socially vulnerable groups. According to the amendments, a self-prohibition tool is proposed for all online casino websites and apps. This measure requires game organizers to implement a button that players can press to block their accounts and prevent further gambling. Individuals are given five days to cancel this self-prohibition. This measure is intended to protect citizens from gambling addiction, preserve financial resources, and prevent the accumulation of debt.
Furthermore, additional restrictions are proposed. For example, citizens receiving state benefits, whether for disability or unemployment, will not be allowed to participate in games. Participation by socially vulnerable groups in games of chance is contrary to the state's social policy. Also, individuals whose income comes solely from pensions will not be allowed to participate. The ban on casino games will also apply to individuals in bankruptcy proceedings. These individuals are already in difficult financial circumstances, and gambling could further impact their situation. Individuals receiving state-funded subsidy programs, as well as individuals whose consumer loans exceed 40% of their annual income, will also be barred from participating. However, as the deputy noted, at the government's suggestion, this provision will be removed from the bill. All data on individuals subject to the bill's provisions will be transferred to the Gambling Operator.
In turn, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Edgar Zakaryan, presenting the government's position, noted that the executive body generally views the proposed legislative initiative positively. At the same time, the Cabinet believes that the bill can only be implemented after the full implementation of the Gambling Operator institution. Some provisions of the document are simply unenforceable due to the lack of appropriate control mechanisms. Furthermore, control mechanisms for individuals classified as bankrupt, as well as for individuals with credit obligations whose information is subject to banking secrecy, have not been established.
Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, Rafael Gevorkyan, reported that the selection of a gambling operator is in the final stage. A tender has been held, and the company that passed all stages of the competition has now been selected, and now the question is about the financial proposal that this company will submit. According to the law, 60 days are allocated for discussing this proposal and signing an agreement with the winner. Then, within six months, the gambling system must be integrated with the Operator. Against this background, Gevorkyan noted that even if a ban on online gaming is imposed, there is a high degree of confidence that this process will continue, and a solution is possible only with the involvement of the Gambling Operator.
