Albania Takes Action Against Gambling
Albania is taking a tough stance against gaming – iGB
Albania’s opposition to gambling is escalating, with the Prime Minister declaring that from the following year, betting establishments and casinos will be prohibited from operating in residential zones.
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Albania is taking a firm stand against gambling
Albania’s unfriendly atmosphere towards gambling is about to become more severe, with the nation’s Prime Minister Edi Rama stating that from next year, betting shops and casinos will not be permitted to function in residential neighborhoods.
According to the Transitions Online news website, Rama, who previously advocated for the implementation of regulations to curtail online gambling, stated that all locations where wagers can be placed should be relocated from residential areas to the outskirts of cities by December 31st.
The directive provides operators with less than three months to find new premises, and it is anticipated that numerous operators will face difficulties in finding suitable locations within such a limited timeframe.
Moreover, the Prime Minister (pictured) cautioned the media that they will be “compelled to cease operations” if they do not stop broadcasting advertisements for unregulated gambling services.
Rama has been spearheading the campaign against gambling in Albania since his Socialist Party achieved a landslide electoral triumph five years ago. Within five months of his victory, approximately 1,300 gambling venues were scrutinized, many of which were closed down due to alleged financial mismanagement.
Rama recently bragged in a statement that tax income has grown from €32 million (£28 million/$37 million) to €47 million since he took charge, despite the number of gambling houses in the nation being reduced from 40 to 20.
In July, the administration submitted a plan to lower the tax rate from 15% of gross gaming earnings to 15% of gross earnings, hoping to provide Albanian operators with a much-needed boost. However, President Ilir Meta rejected the proposal, sending it back to the legislature for further review.
“Implementing legal changes that only benefit gambling enterprises when the impact on the state’s financial plan or household economic expectations is negative is not acceptable,” Meta stated at the time, according to the Tirana Times.
“The gambling business model does not generate added value for society. On the contrary, the expansion of this industry brings potential hazards, making Albanian families poorer while fueling social unrest.”
Albanians reportedly spent €132 million on gambling in 2017, a 10% increase year-on-year, despite the country having a population of less than 3 million and a GDP of $12.7 billion, making it one of the poorest nations in Europe.
However, a report by the State Audit Office said that the government failed to collect around €395 million in fines between 2014 and 2016, which were imposed on operators who failed to meet certain regulations.
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