Lasha Parulava: Our initiative does not envisage a complete ban on the gambling industry; the gambling business should be fully oriented towards the tourist market, while access to online and land-based casinos for Georgian citizens should be strictly restricted

"According to statistics, nearly one million Georgian citizens are involved in gambling, while approximately 400,000 people fall within the range of clinical addiction. As a result, families are being torn apart and the number of suicides is rising. We are proposing a regulatory model under which the industry generates revenue for the state while preserving citizens’ futures,” Lasha Parulava, one of the leaders of the United National Movement, writes in a statement responding to the legislative package approved by Parliament, which provides for the hosting of international gambling tournaments in Georgia.

Parulava outlines a four-point strategy for regulating the sector.

“The initiative we have announced does not envisage a complete ban on the gambling industry. Our goal is to fundamentally transform the sector and transition to the ‘Monaco model’.

Under this approach, the gambling business should be fully oriented towards the international tourist market, while access for Georgian citizens to both online and land-based casinos should be strictly restricted.

An analysis of the data shows that this is not merely a problem of gambling addiction, but also a flawed model of the country’s economic development.

According to official Geostat statistics, the gambling industry’s turnover amounted to GEL 88.3 billion in 2025, accounting for 34.8% of the total turnover of the business sector.

Furthermore, eight of the ten companies with the highest turnover in the country operate in the gambling industry.

The situation is particularly serious from a social perspective: according to statistics, nearly one million Georgian citizens are involved in gambling, while approximately 400,000 people are at risk of clinical addiction.

As a result, families are being torn apart and the number of suicides is rising. The current reality points to an economic imbalance in which a significant part of the country’s economy depends on money lost by its citizens.

When the gambling industry develops at the expense of impoverishing the population, both individual families and society and the state as a whole suffer.

In our view, regulation of the sector should be based on the following four-point strategy:

Restricting Georgian citizens’ access to online and land-based casinos;

Orienting the gambling industry towards the international tourism market;

Establishing an effective state programme for the protection, prevention and rehabilitation of people with gambling addictions;

Significantly strengthening the fight against illegal gambling platforms.

The Monaco model clearly demonstrates that it is possible to harness the tourism potential of the gambling industry without turning the local population into casino customers, while allowing the country to secure maximum financial benefits through increased budget revenues.

The concept of a social state is precisely about ensuring the institutional protection of citizens.

The country needs an economic model that creates wealth through knowledge and hard work.

The gambling business should serve to enrich the country and its citizens, rather than impoverish the population and channel money into offshore jurisdictions.

This initiative goes beyond narrow party interests, which is why we call on all interested parties to take part in a broad public discussion.

We would like to thank the Patriarchate of Georgia and Patriarch Shio III for taking a principled position on this critically important issue, so that our young people and the country’s future can be protected.

Our goal is not to destroy the business. We are proposing a regulatory model under which the industry generates revenue for the state while preserving citizens’ futures and ensuring their social protection,” Lasha Parulava writes.

For reference, Parliament considered the legislative amendments under an expedited procedure and approved them at the third reading. Once enacted, the changes will allow international gambling tournaments to be held in Georgia. The initiative was introduced by Georgian Dream MPs and passed in the final reading with 73 votes in favour and five against. Two plenary sessions were devoted to the discussion and approval of the bill.