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.

The changes are intended to strengthen regulatory enforcement and improve compliance in the industry.

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

The draft law was initiated by the Government, and prepared by the Ministry of Finance, 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.