Georgia’s government is continuing to tighten control of the gambling sector. On 14 April, a package of amendments was introduced to parliament that would significantly raise fines for breaches of permit conditions for both land-based and online operators. Penalties would increase to GEL 20,000 (€6,600) for some segments and to GEL 10,000 (€3,300) for others.
Earlier this year, Georgian authorities added more than 1.5 million people to the national register restricting participation in gambling, making the country one of the region’s strictest jurisdictions in terms of access. Against that backdrop, higher fines fit the broader strategy: the state is narrowing access for part of the population while tightening discipline for licensed businesses.
How fines would increase
The amendments published on the Georgian parliament website cover multiple segments.
- for casinos, the fine would rise from GEL 7,000 to GEL 20,000 (€6,600);
- for slot machine halls – from GEL 1,000 to GEL 10,000 (€3,300);
- for gaming clubs and gambling suppliers, it would rise from GEL 2,000 to GEL 10,000 (€3,300);
- for online casino, online slots, and online totalisators – from GEL 7,000 to GEL 20,000 (€6,600).
In several cases, this represents a multiple increase. The slot machine hall segment is particularly indicative, with a proposed tenfold jump. The regulator is signalling that the current sanction level is no longer considered sufficient, and that breaching permit conditions should no longer be a manageable operating cost.
Why authorities are tightening sanctions
The government’s reasoning is explicitly practical. The explanatory note states that current fines do not provide an adequate deterrent effect. In some cases, it is economically advantageous for operators to breach conditions and pay the fine rather than to fully comply. The state is effectively acknowledging that the previous penalty model no longer works and that consumers require stronger protection of their rights.
If adopted, the updated law would enter into force 15 days after publication. The period is intended to allow market participants to familiarise themselves with the changes. The draft does not provide for retroactive effect, and it is not proposed for expedited consideration.
It is not only about fines
In parallel, Georgian authorities have also submitted separate amendments to the Law on Licences and Permits. This bill is not about the general increase in fines, but about cases in which a permit holder misses the deadline for paying a mandatory licence fee. It covers permits for the supply of gambling and prize games, as well as permits for operating online casinos, slot machine games, and totalisators.
The change would make late payments more punitive for these categories than before. As tripling the fine is deemed insufficient as a deterrent, the government proposes a tougher mechanism. If the breach is not rectified, the operating permit would be revoked. Companies that lose their permit would need to reapply and pay the full permit fee.
Georgia’s market context
According to Business Media Georgia (BMG), operators pay an annual licence fee of GEL 100,000 (€33,000). The cost of re-entry is substantial:
- an independent online casino would require GEL 5 million (€1.65 million);
- online slots – GEL 1 million (€330,000);
- betting and gaming services – around GEL 100,000 (€33,000);
- administrative fees would range from GEL 5,000 to GEL 30,000 (€1,650 to €9,900).
According to Blask, as of 20 April 2026, 61 licensed gambling brands operate in Georgia.
On the Blask Index – the metric describing market interest and attention volume in a given iGaming market – online casino, betting and lotteries lead by a wide margin, which Blask surveys also reflect.
In this system, losing a permit becomes more than a sanction. It becomes a costly and disruptive scenario. That is why the government initiative matters more than it may appear at first glance. Authorities are trying to change the economics of compliance. The higher the re-entry costs and penalties, the weaker the incentive to treat breaches as manageable risks.
A tightening regulatory trajectory
The new package fits Georgia’s broader regulatory trajectory. Last year, authorities strengthened the self-exclusion mechanism. The number of citizens who voluntarily restricted their access to gambling exceeded 30,000, and the process became simpler through biometric identification. Regaining access is difficult and possible only by court decision, no earlier than 3 years after registration or following the loss of Georgian citizenship.
Tbilisi is tightening control on several fronts, through player restrictions, state registers, and tougher requirements for operators. The state is moving further towards a model in which the market remains legal but is contained within stricter regulatory and financial constraints. If parliament passes the initiative without changes, operators will face stricter financial and compliance consequences for breaching licence conditions.
This article was first published in Russian on 20 April 2026.
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