Technical Requirements for the Casino
Article 24 of the Georgian Law on Gambling Games sets the minimum standards that condition both the issuance of the permit and the operation of the facility. A casino must have at least 5 casino tables functioning, 1 of them for play on the roulette. The casino must consist of a customer service zone and a zone of service rooms, each with a separate entrance. The cash desk must be equipped with an armored window and an alarm signal connected to the relevant security service and satisfy the requirements established by Georgian legislation. The zone of service rooms must include a safe. These requirements should be accommodated already at the design stage, because their breach is treated as a violation of permit conditions.
Essential Products and Supply Permit Documents
The same article regulates the documentary package for a permit to supply gambling and/or profit-making games. Beyond the standard documents, the applicant must submit to the Revenue Service a list and detailed description of the games to be supplied and/or the essential products or services; an authorization certificate confirming conformity of the essential products or services to be used with the standards introduced or established by the Minister of Finance; a certificate on the criminal record of the applicant's managerial and representative persons, founders/partners and beneficial owners, issued by the competent authority of the country of citizenship; a document confirming the origin of the monetary funds needed to pay the permit fee, for whose accuracy the applicant is responsible; and any other document or information the Revenue Service requires when examining the application.
Where a game or essential product or service supplied by the permit holder changes substantially — including a change of the jackpot payout rule, any kind of change to existing games or the addition of new games — the holder must notify the Revenue Service to obtain its consent and submit an authorization certificate; if consent is not granted, the holder is prohibited from supplying the substantially changed game or product. A substantial change covers changes that may influence the stake, the winnings, the architecture of the game, the random-number generation platform or the jackpot payout system. A supplier must submit to the Revenue Service a copy of the contract concluded with the permit holder for organizing games no later than 3 days after its conclusion, and must report any amendment to that contract no later than 2 days after its implementation, attaching a copy of the amendment document. The supplier is likewise obliged to pay in a timely manner the fee or fees payable to the selected person. Beyond these statutory duties, the Government of Georgia is authorized to establish additional conditions for the issuance of permits, and the Minister of Finance to introduce requirements and standards that the essential products, services and any other devices used in the activity must satisfy; their non-fulfillment counts as non-observance of permit conditions.
Identification of Gaming Inventory by Factory Number
Article 33 of the law settles the legal regime of gaming inventory: casino tables, club tables, gaming machines and other gaming inventory used for games may be in the ownership or in the use of the organizer of the gambling game. The use of a casino table or a club table for play is permissible only where a distinguishing mark, the factory number, exists on that table. The use of a gaming machine for play is permissible only where both a distinguishing mark, the factory number, and a device necessary for carrying out control electronically exist on the machine. This identification requirement is what allows the electronic control system to monitor each concrete table and machine as a separate unit, linking the physical inventory declared in the casino regulation to the data recorded in the control system. Inventory without such marks cannot lawfully be used, regardless of who owns it.
Notification of Tournaments and Changes
Article 20-1 of the law establishes the notification deadlines for tournaments and changes. A casino permit holder conducting a gambling tournament must, no later than 2 working days before organizing it, submit to the Revenue Service, as information, the conditions of organizing and conducting the tournament, also indicating the start and end dates and the number of club tables. A gambling club permit holder conducting a tournament must supply the same information no later than 2 working days before its organization, additionally indicating the place of conduct and the amount of the participation fee and/or the service commission, if any. Holders of permits for systemic-electronic organization, when arranging or changing a cash desk, must submit information on the address or addresses of the real estate intended for the cash desk no later than 2 working days before introducing the change into the rules of the systemically-electronically organized game. Where the essential products or services to be used are changed, organizers must notify the Revenue Service no later than 2 days before implementing the change and submit an authorization certificate, in the case of replacement or addition of essential products or services; a slot machine hall permit holder changing its gaming machines must additionally submit an authorization certificate for the content of the specific game in each machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tables must a casino have?
At least 5 casino tables, 1 of them for the roulette; the facility divides into customer and service zones with separate entrances.
When is a substantially changed game prohibited?
Where the Revenue Service has not consented: notify no later than 2 days before the change and submit an authorisation certificate.
What is required to use a table in play?
A factory number; on a gaming machine — also a device enabling electronic control.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team helps gambling businesses obtain and keep permits: we check the facility's technical requirements, prepare documentation and monitor notification deadlines. Write to us on Legal.ge.