Gambling in Armenia: total bets increase 17-fold since 2018
Gambling bets in Armenia increase
Over the past year, people in Armenia placed bets on gambling activities totaling more than $18 billion (7 trillion drams), with the majority of wagers recorded through online gaming. According to the State Revenue Committee, the total amount of bets in 2024 was 17 times higher than in 2018.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated during his last press conference that while the government is trying to impose restrictions, it cannot completely ban gambling, which is widespread globally.
“If people don’t place bets in Armenia, they will do so in another country. These are online bets. And if we restrict the internet, I am sure there will be many comments accusing us of limiting people’s freedoms and taking a ‘dictatorial’ step,”Pashinyan said at his latest press conference.
- Georgia-Armenia trade in 2024: Sharp decline amid government optimism
- ‘Armenia faces choice: lead or follow others’ – IT specialist
- Yerevan’s transport reform: What’s changing and why it’s stirring discontent
Gambling bets in 2024 exceeded Armenia’s national debt by $5.4 billion
Over the past year, total gambling bets in Armenia amounted to 7.236 trillion drams ($18.32 billion). In response to an inquiry from Armenian outlet Factor.am, the State Revenue Committee provided the following details:
- Casino bets totaled 106.4 billion drams ($269 million);
- The remaining 7.13 trillion drams ($18 billion) came from online gambling.
According to the State Revenue Committee, “98% of this amount—7.094 trillion drams ($17.9 billion)—was returned to players as winnings.”
However, there is no data on how many people participated or from which countries the bets were placed.
Available statistics indicate that the surge in the gambling industry is primarily driven by online betting. While casino bets grew by around 20% compared to 2018, online gambling skyrocketed more than 21 times over the same period.
Notably, the total amount wagered last year exceeded Armenia’s national debt by $5.4 billion. In 2024, the country’s national debt stood at $12.84 billion, while total gambling bets reached $18.25 billion.ственный долг страны составил $12 млрд 842 млн, а ставок было на $18 млрд 248 млн.
“No lack of political will” – Pashinyan
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reminded that the government has already taken measures to manage the risks associated with gambling, including banning advertising for betting.
“But I don’t rule out that there is advertising on the ‘dark internet.’ At the moment, we simply cannot control it,” he admitted.
Pashinyan suggested acknowledging that gambling exists in all countries and that the Armenian government cannot ban it entirely. Instead, it can create as many obstacles as possible, which it is actively trying to do. He pointed to measures such as shutting down betting shops and removing slot machines from gas stations.
“There has been no lack of political will. Concrete actions were taken, yet the figures continue to rise. We need to revisit this issue—perhaps we are doing something wrong? I do not rule that out,” Pashinyan said.
He also acknowledged that private sector technologies in this industry are evolving faster than the government can keep up with:
“You cannot imagine how much this worries me. This is one of the areas where we have made the most progress, overcoming significant resistance.”
Pashinyan assured journalists that the government would work to impose “a more effective tax burden” on the sector to create additional barriers to its growth.
