Armenia introduces new regulation covering physical location of bookmakers

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. In an effort to protect people from being allured by bookmakers and subsequent potential losses, the Armenian government passed a decision on September 17 that allows bookmakers to operate solely at locations which are a certain distance away from heavily populated areas, as well as educational or cultural institutions, governmental offices or hospitals.

Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan said at the Cabinet meeting that currently bookmakers have offices mostly in heavily populated areas. “This is negatively impacting the society by creating the dangers of easily being allured with gambling,” he said.

In Yerevan, bookmakers will have to relocate their offices at least 150 meters away (direct line) from any educational, historic-cultural institution, state and local self governing offices and hospitals. The distance is 100 meter elsewhere, with the exception of administrative centers of Syunik, Meghri and Tavush where the limit is set at 50 meters.

Authorities said they’ve studies international practice in developing the law.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan