PM Garibashvili: gambling ad ban to deal with “one of the biggest problems” for population
The Prime Minister cited 1.5 billion GEL ($312 million/€278 million) spent by citizens annually on online gambling. Photo via Government of Georgia.
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The introduction of the ban on gambling advertising in Georgia starting today will deal with “one of the biggest problems” of the country’s population, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Tuesday.
The head of the government said “lots of people - minors, young, vulnerable people” were addicted to online gambling, with up to one million citizens affected by the ban, announced by the PM recently.
In addition to the restriction on ads, citizens under the age of 25, socially vulnerable persons, and public officials will no longer be able to use gambling websites, Garibashvili said in a social media post.
The Prime Minister cited 1.5 billion GEL ($312 million/€278 million) spent by citizens annually in online casinos in his announcement, adding the ban was now also placed on payments to gambling businesses abroad.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says the government has plans to increase fees for online gambling businesses – which are mostly foreign owned – as well as to ban ads, and increase the lower age limit for gamblers to 25 years.
The Georgian parliament has approved new legislative regulations for online gambling businesses. Eighty-two MPs supported the changes proposed by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in its third and final reading in a 150-member state legislature.
About one million Georgian citizens will be banned from online gambling and will not be allowed in brick and mortar casinos, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated earlier today.
Ban on gambling advertisements on television will take effect in March, the ruling Georgian Dream MP Irakli Zarkua said earlier today. Television producers have been asking for the deadline to be postponed until September 2022, though Zarkua said ‘the optimal deadline is March’.
Georgian deputy finance minister Mikheil Dundua on Monday met with representatives of the country’s gambling business to discuss the sections related to the industry in the European Union's 12-point conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status, the ministry of finance said.
Online gambling businesses - including online casinos, slot machines and betting - will be subject to mandatory permits for specific types of operation, following the Georgian government’s reveal of amendments to the relevant law on Monday.