The Casino Organization Permit: The Initial Framework
Opening a casino in Georgia begins with obtaining a permit for organizing a casino — an activity subject to permitting under the eleventh article of the Law of Georgia on Organizing Lotteries, Gambling and Profitable Games. This permit is issued only to an entrepreneur registered in Georgia, for a term of 5 years, and for the operation of each object — which means that each casino requires its own permit. Gambling and profitable games at the object must be conducted segregated from each other.
The third article of the law defines a casino as a specially equipped building or part of it, where the organizer conducts gambling games and the playing out of monetary winnings by means of a gaming wheel — roulette, cards, a casino table, a club table, dice or other gaming inventory (except a gaming machine). It follows from this definition that a casino and a slot machine hall are different permit regimes, and confusing them in an application is ground for error.
The Specific Documentation
The nineteenth article of the law determines what the permit seeker must submit to the Revenue Service in addition to the documents envisaged by the Law on Licenses and Permits. The central document is the conditions for organizing a casino — the regulations — which must indicate: a list of casino and club tables with the name of each table, its factory number, year of manufacture, country of manufacture and manufacturer; the minimum and maximum bets on each casino table; in the case of club tables — the amount of the service commission; the complete list of games conducted in the casino and detailed rules; working hours and rules; rules of conduct; the deadline and place of paying winnings; the procedure and deadline for examining claims — no more than 30 calendar days from the origin of the claim.
The documentary package also includes: samples of gaming chips with denomination, ornament and color; a certificate on the criminal record of the permit seeker's authorized representative, founder/partner and beneficial owner — issued by the competent organ of the country of which the respective person is a citizen; a document confirming the origin of the funds needed to pay the permit fee; and, where essential products supplied by another person are used in organizing the game, the number of the valid supply permit issued to that person.
The Technical Requirements for the Object
The twenty-fourth article of the law establishes the minimum technical parameters for a casino: no fewer than seven casino tables must be installed and functioning in the casino, one of them for play on a gaming wheel — roulette. The casino must consist of two zones — client service and service rooms — and each zone must have a separate entrance.
The cash desk for monetary settlement must be equipped with an armored window and an alarm connected to a security service, and the service zone must include a safe. Moreover, in the casino's safe a reserve amount of no less than 10 000 lari per each casino table is kept — this requirement is embedded in the conceptual apparatus of the law and must be laid into the opening budget in advance.
From Application to Opening
The practical route looks like this: selecting the object and reconciling it with the technical requirements; preparing the regulations and documentation; planning the permit fee; submitting the application to the Revenue Service; after issuance — connecting to the electronic control system and interacting with the selected person. The amendments reflected in the consolidated edition of the law in this field are alive, so before applying, verification against the current requirements is indispensable — with every client we do this at the stage of preparing the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
To whom and for what term is a casino permit issued?
Only to an entrepreneur registered in Georgia, for a term of 5 years, separately for each object. The permit is not transferable to another person, and recognized tax arrears block issuance.
How many tables are needed?
No fewer than seven casino tables, one of them on roulette. The consolidated edition of the law also contains an amendment on the number of tables — the current number must be verified before applying.
What is central in the regulations?
The list of tables with identification details, the limits of bets, detailed rules of the games, the deadline and place of paying winnings, and the procedure for examining claims — within 30 calendar days.
Where does preparation begin?
From the technical compliance of the object — two zones, separate entrances, an armored cash desk, a safe — and from the documentary package, whose complete list is established by law.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team guides the obtaining of a casino organization permit step by step: we assess the object, assemble the regulations and documentation, prepare the application and consolidate the permit and technical requirements into a single work plan.
Contact us through Legal.ge — opening a casino is a complex project, and each of its stages requires legally precise planning.