The government of Georgia continues to toughen the compliance enforcement of the gambling industry. 

Following sweeps conducted by the Georgian Revenue Service details over 30,000 citizens have been added to the government’s new centralised national self-exclusion system up by 4,000 since May.

The enforcement follows drastic regulatory reforms introduced in 2024 by the direct order of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who placed the Revenue Service to oversee penalty enforcements and the surveillance of gambling licences. 

As of June 2024, Georgia raised the legal gambling age to 25, a measure backed by the introduction of “biometric Id checks across all licensed venues”, with a view to directly bar a swathe of the population from participating entirely.

Public-sector employees and individuals with criminal convictions, numbering some 1.5 million citizens, are now prohibited from gambling under recent amendments to Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences. The measures reflect an effort to align policy with growing concerns about addiction, debt, and the social costs of gaming.

The exclusion registry, which previously required institutional approval, can now be accessed directly by individuals. Of the 30,451 currently listed, the vast majority (30,392) joined voluntarily. The remainder were added by court order.

As reported by SBCEurasia.com: “Those on the list are banned from gambling on any licensed platform, online or offline, for five years. Removal is only possible in two cases: renunciation of citizenship, or by judicial review three years after initial registration.”

Technological controls have also been tightened. Biometric identification systems, now mandatory at casinos and betting halls, are designed to verify age and identity at point of entry. Officials say the same infrastructure supports secure, confidential access to the exclusion list, and ensures compliance with privacy laws.

Yet more changes may be on the way. While the government has already imposed heavier licensing fees on operators, it is now weighing whether to raise the tax on player winnings from 2% to 5%. A decision is expected as part of the new national budget, due before the end of 2025.

The biometric controls, age restrictions, and exclusion orders unprecedented in the region have raised concerns about compliance costs and potential impact on investment.  Meanwhile, ambiguity remains over future tax policy, including the potential rise in withholding on player winnings.

As PM Garibashvili cites that he will continue to crack the whip, the message is clear: gambling may remain a part of Georgia’s economy, but it will be tolerated only on the state terms only.