Georgia’s Parliament has approved in first reading a bill that would allow casinos to organize international gambling tournaments.
Parliament considered the amendments to the Law on the Organization of Lotteries, Gambling and Prize Games, together with a related package of changes, under an expedited procedure and passed them with 74 votes in favor and eight against.
Shota Berekashvili, Chairman of the parliamentary Economic Policy Committee and one of the bill’s authors, said the legislation regulates how such tournaments are organized. He added that hosting them could make Georgia more attractive to tourists and bring the country additional economic benefit.
The bill would allow casinos to hold international gambling tournaments, provided at least 70% of participants are foreign nationals. Organizers would also be exempt from the gambling business fee if a club table is used exclusively for a tournament with a prize pool exceeding GEL3m.
The Public Defender called on Parliament not to pass the bills, arguing that the expedited process left too little room for expert input or a full assessment of potential human rights risks.
The Ombudsman said gambling can affect mental health, minors, household finances and family relationships, and can increase the risk of suicide. It also cited the World Health Organization’s position that gambling is a public health concern.
In adittion, it questioned the bill’s supporting documentation, which cites tourism, foreign participants and economic activity as its main objectives but does not assess potential public health risks or the social costs of addressing them.
The statement added that the explanatory note does not review other countries’ experience with similar measures and that relevant experts and organizations were not involved in drafting the bill.
Finally, it questioned the note’s conclusion that the legislation would have no impact on children’s legal status, saying the basis for that assessment was unclear.
In neighbouring Azerbaijan, Royalé Casino is targeting a spring 2027 opening, with plans for more than 100 gaming tables, around 1,500 slot machines and 12 VIP rooms as part of a wider resort city development near Baku.
Giorgi Mamulaishvili, Head of the Georgian Gambling Association (GGA), has tipped Georgia to become a regional gambling hub
