Armenia’s National Assembly has adopted a bill that will significantly increase state duties in the gambling sector as part of ongoing efforts to tighten regulations and curb gambling addiction in the country.
The legislation, introduced by Civil Contract party lawmaker Hayk Sargsyan, passed in its second reading with 58 votes in favor, 2 against, and 17 abstentions, as per Armenpress. The initial draft of the bill had proposed an additional 10% turnover tax on gambling operations, but that provision was removed ahead of the final vote.
Under the new law, state duties for online casinos and bookmaking activities will double starting April 1. Additional annual increases are planned until the establishment of a national monitoring center to oversee the industry.
“With these legislative changes, the duties for online casino and bookmaking activities will be doubled. This is expected to bring an additional 13 billion drams in annual revenue from state duties,” Sargsyan said during the parliamentary session.
The Ministry of Finance had previously opposed the tax increases, warning that steep increases in taxes and licensing fees could destabilize the gambling industry, driving operators toward foreign jurisdictions and fueling the growth of unregulated, or “grey,” markets, SBC News reported.
The Ministry had already introduced taxes in 2024 on gambling winnings above AMD 5 million ($12,689). After two months of negotiations, lawmakers reached a compromise. Licence fee increases were scaled back, and a quota system for licences was added to prevent market distortions. The government also committed to creating two new regulators, namely the Gaming Sector Monitor and the Gaming Operator Institute.
Anastasiya Yautodzyeva, Head of Analytics at 4H Agency, said online casinos and betting operators will pay higher fees once they reach specific betting thresholds under the new system. If an online casino accepts bets up to AMD 100 billion ($250 million), or a betting operator up to AMD 50 billion ($125 million), they must make extra payments.
Previously, fees were AMD 175 million ($444,000) for casinos and AMD 50 million ($126,000) for betting operators. From April 2025, these fees will double to AMD 350 million ($890,000) for casinos and AMD 100 million ($253,000) for betting operators.
In January 2026, a multiplier of 3.0 will apply, followed by 4.0 in 2027 and 5.0 in 2028. By then, casino fees could reach AMD 1.4 billion ($3.5 million). Yautodzyeva said these increases will continue until the government’s new regulatory bodies are fully operational.
Lawmakers said the reforms are necessary to address gambling-related social issues. In 2024, more than AMD 811 billion ($2 billion) was deposited into online casinos.
Sargsyan claimed that redirecting gambling profits into the economy could raise Armenia’s GDP by up to 15% and boost state revenues by 7.34%. He also proposed restricting gambling access for vulnerable groups and public officials.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/03/12/97833-armenia-approves-gambling-tax-hike-in-second-reading
