Armenia passes ban on cash gambling

Betting and gaming operators will no longer be able to accept cash.

Armenia.- A bill proposing to ban the use of cash for gambling has been approved in Armenia. It will enter into law in ten days time.

The bill prohibits the use of cash for betting and gaming, extending that to cover the use of electronic cash and payment terminals after six months. From that point, gambling payments will only be permitted using card. Winnings must also be paid out electronically via bank transfer.

MPs Tsovinar Vardanyan and Gevorg Papoyan of the ruling Civil Contract party put forward the bill due to social responsibility, welfare and health concerns. Papoyan was quoted by local media saying that the bill would “significantly limit the ability of citizens to make easy bets”.

Papoyan had addressed the Armenian Parliament last month to drum up support for this bill. He said then that the “main target of the bill is citizens who are socially vulnerable but at the same time have gambling addiction, which worsens their social condition”.

He said “After six months, the e-money option will also be banned, leaving only the bank transaction, meaning the non-cash payment option.”

Earlier this year, Armenia’s parliament passed the first reading of amendments to advertising legislation proposed by finance minister Armen Hayrapetyan. The changes would ban internet advertising and restrict gambling advertising to the premises of four-star and above hotels, border checkpoints and in the front of buildings carrying out similar business activities.

Uzbekistan gambling legalisation in doubt

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, has reportedly rowed back on supporting a decree that would create a national framework for legalised betting in the country. Local media say he no longer backs the move to establish federal legislation for sportsbooks and sweepstakes. 

Mirziyoyev, who leads the O’ZLIDEP party, had said back in 2019 that he would support a party promise to legalise sports betting under strict government controls after consultation with Muslim leaders. The idea was to launch the market this year and for tax revenues from the sector to fund the advancement of the professional football league in Uzbekistan in a bid to qualify for a World Cup for the first time.