The RA Ministry of Finance is to suggest applying the RA Law on Games of Chance and Casinos to ELLOTTO gaming terminals as well
17:47, August 7, 2018 | News, Own news
In response to the letter by HCA Vanadzor, the RA State Revenue Committee informed that in the future the RA Ministry of Finance is going to submit a legislative suggestion on applying the RA Law on Games of Chance and Casinos on ELLOTTO terminals as well. This will impose restrictions on the installation places of ELLOTTO terminals.
The above-mentioned terminals are now viewed as lotteries, and their installation is implemented within the RA Law on Lotteries. Under that Law, the lottery organizer shall organize lotteries in compliance with the rules of procedure laid down by the organizer and agreed with the authorized body. The RA Ministry of Finance granted its permission to the rules of procedure submitted by the company Goodwinbet.
HCA Vanadzor applied to the RA State Revenue Committee Chairman Davit Ananyan on May 24, 2018 based on the publication made by the news website armtimes.com in September 2017 under the title “Yerevan City is again a gambling hub; Samvel Alexanyan did Shinanyuti Sergo a favor.”
The article mentioned that ELLOTTO gambling machines were installed in the supermarket Yerevan City. The slot machines, as described by the news website, do not differ from casino equipment at all and are widely spread especially in places where there presumably should be many people.
HCA Vanadzor requested to bring the company owning gaming machines to liability as the RA Law on Games of Chance and Casinos lays down clear restrictions on gaming machines, and Yerevan City Supermarket is not considered a place established by the law.
K. Karapetyan, who is the head of the Operational Intelligence Department of the RA State Revenue Committee, informed HCA Vanadzor that at the moment the ELLOTTO gaming machines operate within the RA Law on Lotteries, where there are no restrictions on installment. In addition, he informed that the RA Ministry of Finance undertook a legislative change, according to which the exploitation of the above-mentioned equipment shall be defined as running lotteries, and the RA Law on Games of Chance and Casinos shall apply to them.