Georgia igaming licensing framework launched in bid to attract international operators
Georgia intends to offer international gambling licences for operators targeting overseas players, with a competitive tax rate and banking arrangements.
Key takeaways:
- Georgia’s new igaming licensing framework aims to attract international operators serving overseas customers, not Georgian citizens.
- Operators will pay a 5 per cent GGR tax plus a 1 per cent regulatory monitoring fee, alongside an annual permit fee on five-year licences
Georgia.- It has been confirmed that Georgia’s international igaming licence regime has fully launched, with the first operators expected to start operating soon. Random Systems Georgia (RSG), the firm designated by the government to advise and oversee the creation of the regime, has confirmed that the full launch is now underway following a soft launch in July.
The Georgia international igaming licence framework aims to attract operators targeting players outside of Georgia with a package that includes a five-year licence along with banking, payments and compliance services, including arrangements for gambling-coded MCC 7995 payment processing.
Operators will be subject to a 5 per cent tax on gross gaming revenue plus a 1 per cent regulatory monitoring fee along with an annual permit fee of GEL 100,000 (€33.370). Reinvested profits are subject to 0 per cent corporate tax, and onboarding can be completed remotely, with no requirement for a physical office in Georgia. The country already has a strong presence of software providers, live casino operations, game studios and customer-support functions serving international companies, the Georgia International Strategic Group (GISG) has noted in its promotion of the commercial offering.
Vakhtang Katamadze, a supervisory board member at Random Systems Georgia, has described the approach as creating a country-level ecosystem rather than a standalone licensing jurisdiction.
Legislation for Georgia’s international igaming licensing framework
Legislation to establish the new Georgian online gambling licensing framework was submitted to parliament under an accelerated procedure in June. It amends the Law On the Organisation of Lotteries, Gambling and Profitable Games to introduce permits for companies offering online slots and sports betting to non‑Georgian players.
Access will be restricted to foreign nationals and stateless persons, with Georgian citizens to be automatically blocked from the platforms. Failure to comply with licence conditions or payment deadlines would trigger fines of GEL 20,000 (€6,670). Each licence is valid only for a single website.
Georgia’s approach can be compared to the strategies used in Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. Their favourable tax regimes have turned them into European hubs for international igaming operators. More recently, a similar move has been made through the reduction in gambling tax in Estonia, where the rate on GGR is due to be reduced to just 4 per cent by 2029.
Where Georgia differs is in how it’s specifying that the reduced tax rate incentive applies only for platforms serving foreign customers. That decision is intended to balance the objective of encouraging foreign direct investment with the government’s harder line on gambling for Georgian consumers.
The legal gambling age in Georgia was raised to 25 in 2024, and new exclusion rules for public-sector employees and citizens with criminal records introduced last year have led to over 1.5 million citizens being banned from gambling in a country that only has a population of 3.8 million.
Despite this, major brands such as Flutter Entertainment’s Adjarabet and Betsson Georgia continue to operate, showing resilience in the sector. Lawmakers argue that as well as attracting investment, the proposed new framework could generate skilled jobs in technology and marketing, expanding the Caucasus nation’s service sector.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What is Georgia’s international igaming licence? It’s a regime for operators serving international customers, covering online casino games, slots and sports betting while excluding Georgian citizens from participation.
- How much tax do international igaming operators pay in Georgia? Operators face a 5 per cent tax on gross gaming revenue plus a 1 per cent regulatory monitoring fee, presented as a combined 6 per cent charge, as well as an annual permit fee.
- Does Georgia’s international igaming regime require a local office? No. Onboarding can be completed remotely without requiring operators to maintain a physical office in Georgia.
