he Republic of Armenia is moving ahead with tightening controls on digital betting, payments and advertising as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government confirmed that he will apply a new compliance framework for gambling licensees.
Applied from 1 May onwards, the technical commands will be overseen by Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan and State Revenue Committee chief Rustam Badasyan, who seek to tighten financial supervision, reinforce legal gambling channels and squeeze offshore operators out of Armenia’s market.
Driving the political agenda is Civil Contract MP Hayk Sargsyan, who has become the leading parliamentary voice behind the overhaul.
At the centre of the strategy sits payments enforcement. Armenian authorities are looking to block financial transfers to unlicensed operators while tightening anti-money laundering and know-your-customer obligations across licensed gambling businesses.
The government will simultaneously advance the roll-out of a centralised monitoring infrastructure that will connect operators directly to state systems in real time.
Banking restrictions form one of the sharpest new enforcement tools. Technical directives call on local banks to deny Merchant Category Code (MCC) 7995 transactions, the global payments classification assigned to gambling services, through central banking controls.
Payment processing would be permitted only for locally licensed operators, creating another barrier for offshore businesses seeking Armenian customers.
The State Revenue Committee is also accelerating the selection of a private software partner to build Armenia’s central gaming monitoring hub, following legislation approved in early 2024.
The current phase focuses on implementing the technology rather than creating the framework itself, with authorities seeking full visibility over gambling activity and payment flows.
Multiple fiscal measures have already reshaped the economics of the sector. Armenia introduced a 10% turnover tax on gambling operations from July 2025, doubled online gaming licence fees in April 2025 and plans further annual increases through 2028.
The market expansion that has led to the government’s intervention has been significant. Official figures cited by lawmakers show Armenia’s gambling turnover reached AMD 6.3trn (€14bn) during 2023, while online casino deposits climbed to AMD 811bn in 2024.
The introduction of stricter regulations stretches beyond taxation and payments. The Gaming Law, implemented in January 2025, forced online operators onto Armenia’s local domain system, introduced geo-blocking requirements and lowered gambling winnings taxes in a bid to channel consumers towards regulated operators.
Further restrictions followed in 2026. Authorities introduced player protection controls requiring stop-play tools and limiting access for vulnerable groups, including bankrupt individuals and recipients of social assistance programmes.
Advertising rules have also narrowed significantly, restricting gambling promotion to luxury hotels, border checkpoints and authorised operator channels.
Enforcement powers could soon expand further. Sources told SBC Eurasia that Armenia’s Ministry of Finance is processing the final foundations of a dedicated gambling regulatory agency, expected to be formally announced by government in the near term.
Tougher supervision of local licences, toughen the pledge of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, to see Armenia become the leading jurisdiction of gambling compliance of Eurasian nations.
