Nikol Pashinián, the prime minister of Armenia, has voiced his concerns about the “social problems in village communities” that the growing gambling activity in the country causes. He urged that “these devices should simply be removed.”

“How should we organise this in order for us to truly solve this problem accurately, this is a very important question,” the statement begins. “Overall when we look at our economic growth indicators it turns out that these gambling machines have become the leading branch of our economy.”

Then continues: “This is totally absurd, and our policy should be to change our logic: on one hand it encourages poverty, on the other hand, pardon me, [gambling addiction]”.

 “We must pursue a kind of policy where we won’t encourage neither the first one nor the second, this is a very serious problem and people, families, fates and others are being affected,” the PM said.

“There is no problem, we will discuss openly, transparently, publicly, we will understand whose interests are more taken into account, whose not, where objective issues exist, we will exclude them and solve this problem, because this really is a serious problem, and people are alarming about this problem in masses,” he concluded.

Source: Focus Gaming News

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

Armenia has changed the section of gambling regulation that deals with the permissible age on gambling. Gamblers in the country’s casinos must be at least 21 years of age from now on.

In fact, this particular provision has been there since September 2014. But with the new amendment, casinos must have a provision to check the age of the visitors. Atom Janjugazyan, the Minister of Finance of Armenia, signed the new order that made mandatory the checking of passport or any other identity document of the casino visitor. The casinos will be liable for a penalty up to 300 thousand drams (about 500 EUR) for any violation of the rule.

The Armenian authorities systematically tighten legislation related to online and offline gambling. Currently, Armenian Ministry of Finance is considering the possibility of restricting the activities of foreign online casinos and a partial ban on advertising of casinos on the streets of cities and in the mass media. At the same time, the government does not plan to revise the profit tax on gambling, now it is 20 per cent.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

The Armenia National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt the draft law on making amendments in the law on combating terrorism in the first reading at today’s sitting.

The parliament fully adopted the draft law on making amendments and supplements in the law on the “RA Investigative Committee” and the attached package of draft laws in the second reading with a vote of 85 for and 7 against.

The issue of adopting the draft law on making addendum to the Criminal Code initiated by MPs Karen Avagyan and Hrayr Tovmasyan in the second reading was also put up to voting.

The bill passed overwhelmingly the parliament’s second reading. In a speech ahead of the voting, Tsarukyan faction MP Naira Zohrabyan voiced the faction’s intention to support the bill in the second reading since the proposals submitted by the bloc over the measure had been accepted.

The Armenian parliament also overwhelmingly voted to adopt the draft law on making amendments and supplements in the law on energy and the attached bill package in the first reading.

The draft law on making amendments and supplements in the law on “Games of Chance, Online Games of Chance and Casinos” and the attached package passed the parliament’s first reading, receiving a total of 93 votes in favour.

The National Assembly also fully adopted the law on the Constitutional Court and the attached draft package in the second reading with 87 votes for and 7 against.

Source: panorama.am