Who Will Be Deprived of the Opportunity to Participate in Gambling: 'Zhoghovurd'

The 'Zhoghovurd' newspaper reports that the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia has put forward for public discussion a draft law on the regulation of gambling activities.

'Zhoghovurd' has learned that the draft law sets out restrictions on participation in games. Moreover, citizens who are beneficiaries of social support programs, who benefit from any subsidy program funded by the state budget, who are recognized as beneficiaries, who are declared bankrupt, have unpaid obligations, are in bankruptcy proceedings, whose total consumer loan volume exceeds 40 percent of their annual income, or who are registered at the national center for addiction treatment will be prohibited from participating in legally established games.

Additionally, the Committee proposes penalties for violations of this law. For example, the minimum planned amount of winnings from gambling revenues or internet gambling must be at least 90 percent. If the established minimum is violated, the fine for each type of gambling product will be set at 500,000 drams.

If citizens violate the general rules of participation in games, the fine for each case of the first offense will be 2 million drams, and for each subsequent violation within a year of discovering the first offense, the fine will increase to 5 million drams.

Of course, it is well-stated, but it remains to be seen how the law written on paper will be implemented and who will oversee it.