Serbia orders checks on gambling venues
The national government has told local authorities to review licence holders’ protection measures.
Serbia.- The government of Serbia has ordered local mayors to conduct reviews of gambling licences for betting shops, gaming halls and bingo halls. Local government authorities have until July 1 to evaluate whether licence holders meet customer protection measures, including age verification procedures.
The move comes after new measures were approved in an amendment to the 2011 Law on Games of Chance and after the state attorney questioned why multiple gambling licences had been issued in rural towns and districts.
There are 29 districts and 190 municipalities in the country. Operators must not allow minors to participate in gambling and venues must display warning signs about the risk of gambling addiction. Posters must also provide details of certified treatment providers. Gambling venues must also respect new rules on alcohol, which allow only drinks with less than 5 per cent alcohol to be offered to customers who are using slots or betting on sports.
Local authorities must also check that venues have paid the necessary taxes. Gaming halls must pay 15 per cent on slots revenue. The fee for betting shops is the same, with a minimum fee equal to the equivalent of €1,000 in dinar value.
Serbia’s State Attorney has ordered local mayors to report to central government on the results of the inspections.
Meanwhile, the Green-Left Front (ZLF) continues to call for stricter measures on gambling in Serbia, including a ban on gambling advertising. Opposition parties also argue that authorities don’t have the resources to assess the size of the issue of gambling addiction in the country, particularly in smaller localities.
The move comes as neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina considers ordering betting shops to close on Sundays, in line with other businesses. Dennis Gratz, representative of the Democratic Front in the House of Representatives, has submitted the amendments for parliamentary procedure. The move would apply from November and would bring betting shops in line with other activities.
