Georgia sees growth of self-exclusion demand: George Mamulaisvili comments on the situation
Last week, the Georgian tax service reported an increase in registrations in the database of persons restricted from gambling. Since the beginning of May, the number of registered individuals has increased by approximately 4,000, surpassing the 30,000 mark. Only 59 players on this list were added by court order as gambling addicts. The vast majority of those registered have expressed a desire to restrict their access to gambling.
Experts attributed this growth to reforms introduced to simplify database registration. Players can now register in the system using biometric identification without requiring prior approval. ‘The system offers a confidential and secure way to protect yourself from gambling addiction,’ according to the Georgian Tax Service.
How self-exclusion works in Georgia
Persons included in Georgia’s restricted player database are denied access to all forms of gambling for 5 years. They limit themselves to online platforms and land-based casinos, except for promotional games with prizes. Removal from the list is only possible in the event of loss of Georgian citizenship or by court decision at least three years after registration.
Georgia is gradually strengthening its responsible gaming policy. Licensed operators have integrated responsible gaming tools and self-exclusion mechanisms. They implemented these measures even before the government officially approved the self-exclusion system. Each operator provides the option for players to self-exclude for a selected period.
The database was created following the tightening of Georgia’s gambling law in 2022. A family member can restrict a specific person’s access to gambling through the courts. Players can also impose restrictions on themselves by applying through the Revenue Service website.
Simplification of the procedure at the state level
There are currently 30,451 people registered in the Georgian database of addicted individuals. Of these, 59 players were registered by court order, and 30,392 applications were submitted voluntarily. It is noteworthy that, at the beginning of May, the list contained 26,655 applications. The number of registrations has increased by approximately 4,000 over the past three months.
The Revenue Service has simplified the procedure for self-restriction of players, allowing users to enter their data independently without authorisation. The electronic service utilises biometric identification, ensuring the confidentiality of citizens and data security.
Comment by George Mamulaisvili
‘It cannot be said that all 30,451 registered people are gambling addicts,’ says George Mamulaisvili, head of the Georgian Gambling Association (GGA). According to him, the initiators of the restrictions previously referred to the high level of gambling addiction in Georgia. The state justified some measures by similar statements.
‘Any citizen can register in the self-exclusion register, even without registering on a single gaming platform,’ notes Mamulaishvili. He also draws attention to the fact that there are only 59 people with confirmed gambling addiction on the list.
Mamulaisvili believes that the state register of gambling restrictions is an ineffective tool. It stigmatises players, equating them with gambling addicts. At the same time, illegal operators use the opportunity to circumvent the register as additional motivation.
‘My experience and practice show that prohibition and strict regulation often have the opposite effect,’ says the expert. On the contrary, a policy of legalisation, transparent regulation, and interaction with the market brings much more benefits and control opportunities than a policy of prohibition.
Updates to the restricted persons register
Since May 5, self-exclusion at the state level has also been available to individuals with dual citizenship. The update followed an order from Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili, according to local media Batumelebi. Georgia’s database of gambling addicts was launched on 1 March 2022, but until May, it was only available to Georgian citizens.
The last time the Revenue Service of the Georgian Ministry of Finance published statistics on the register was in October 2024, and at that time, it had more than 1.5 million people. The vast majority of citizens were automatically added to the list as soon as it began operating. In addition to gambling addicts, it included socially vulnerable citizens, officials, and persons under the age of 25.
This article was first published in Russian on 6 August 2025.
