The Parliament of Georgia has approved in the first reading, with 86 votes in favor, amendments to the Law “On the Organization of Lotteries, Gambling and Profitable Games,” which significantly increase fines for violations of permit conditions in the gambling sector.

According to the Parliament, the changes are intended to strengthen regulatory enforcement and improve compliance in the industry.

Under the new rules, casino operators would be fined 20,000 GEL instead of 7,000 GEL. Operators of gaming machine salons would face a 10,000 GEL fine instead of 1,000 GEL. Gambling club operators would also be fined 10,000 GEL instead of 2,000 GEL. The same 10,000 GEL fine applies to providers of gambling or profit-based gaming services, while fines for organizing electronic slot machine or totalizator games would increase to 20,000 GEL instead of 7,000 GEL.

The draft law was initiated by the Government of Georgia, and prepared by the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, with lawmakers stating that the current penalty levels are not sufficient to deter violations and ensure proper consumer protection and regulatory discipline in the sector.