Georgian PM: Draft bill on international gambling tournaments introduces tax rules, leaves wider regulations unchanged

“A newly initiated draft bill concerning international gambling tournaments brings no fundamental overhauls to existing gambling regulations, focusing strictly on specific tax provisions,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists today.

The Prime Minister minimised the legislative significance of the proposal, describing it as a routine adjustment rather than a major policy pivot.

“In reality, this draft bill introduces no extraordinary novelty. It concerns specific types of competitions, such as international poker tournaments broadcast on sports channels, and establishes precise tax rules governing them. Consequently, it brings about no major policy overhaul, and there was certainly no need for a wide-ranging debate on the matter,” Kobakhidze stated.

“I was not even personally aware of the bill initially, precisely because the substance of the amendment is so minor. Every piece of legislation may have its advocates, but if substantial funds flow in, they will ultimately go directly into the state budget—that is all I can tell you on that front.

As for talk of lobbyists, the bill simply has its parliamentary sponsors rather than commercial backing. To reiterate: this is not a substantial alteration. I only learned of the draft after it was formally introduced and subsequent statements were issued, precisely because it is not a bill of exceptional weight. It leaves existing regulations broadly untouched,” the Prime Minister added.