Georgia Plans Foreign-Facing Gambling Licenses With Local Ban
Georgia is moving toward a split model for online gambling. According to a newly drafted bill currently pending in Parliament, gambling operators targeting overseas customers would be allowed to obtain licenses from Georgia, yet their websites would not be open to local citizens.
The scheme is meant to work as an export-oriented model. Lawmakers want Georgia to attract online gambling businesses, technical roles, and investment without increasing domestic participation in online gambling.
The bill was filed within an accelerated parliamentary procedure. It would introduce additional licensing types into the existing gambling legislation of Georgia and introduce a separate tax framework.
New Licenses Would Target Overseas Users
The draft is going to apply to the following three categories of online gambling: casino games, slots, and sports betting. Operators will be able to accept foreign nationals as well as stateless persons.
Georgian citizens would be prohibited from accessing those platforms. This is the main provision of the bill. While the government is obviously trying to attract operators, it is also trying to ensure that participation from the local side remains restricted. This results in a clear split between export-facing gambling services and domestic gambling activity.
Lower GGR Tax Drives the Offer
The key motivator is the tax rate. The companies operating under the proposed permits would have to pay 5% on their gross gaming revenue (GGR). It is calculated as stakes collected minus winnings paid.
This is substantially lower compared to the 20% rate being imposed on the existing online casinos that serve Georgian customers. This is a clear indication of the bill’s strong focus on foreign-facing activities.
Every permit will have a validity of five years. In addition, operators will have to make payments of GEL 100,000 annually. Extra tax obligations would apply within the permit period.
Fines will be levied on operators in case they break the terms of the permit or payment provisions. These fines would be set at GEL 20,000.
Domain Rules Would Tighten
The proposal is not limited to tax and licensing. It also introduces some amendments to the regulation of gambling domains.
Operators would be allowed to use one domain per permit. Current rules allow two domains. Existing license owners will have time to adapt to this amendment.
From this part of the bill, it becomes clear that control over licensed online activity is going to be tightened. It could also make it easier for regulators to monitor permitted platforms, among other websites.
This draft bill was presented by MP Shota Berekashvili, Giorgi Barvenashvili, Tornike Berekashvili, Anton Obolashvili, and Mariam Lashkhi.
What to Watch Next
The bill gives Georgia a sharper position in the regional gambling market. It offers a lighter tax route for operators that bring business from abroad, but it keeps a hard line on local access.
That balance will decide how attractive the regime becomes. A 5% GGR tax can draw attention from operators, especially those seeking lower-cost licensing bases. Yet the model will also need credible enforcement, clear domain rules, and practical checks to prove that Georgian players are not being served through the new permits.