Over 1.45m citizens of Georgia have been banned from gambling under a series of strict reforms introduced by the government this month.
The figure was disclosed by Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance of the Caucasus nation, in an update to government on market developments.
2022 saw PM Irakli Garibashvili approve a new decree which prohibited individuals under 25, socially vulnerable citizens, public employees, and those blacklisted by courts or self-restricting from all gambling activities (land-based and online).
The changes were deemed necessary for Georgia to secure its ‘European Council 12-point conditions’ needed to grant the country EU candidate status, in which it is required to strengthen its fight against organised crime.
