Legislation
Albania – Albanian government moves to ban sports betting
By Phil - 24 October 2018The Albanian government wants to ban sports betting on 1 January 2019 as it looks to control organised crime through gambling in the country.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said that ‘all betting offices that have spread in Albania like the plague’ are due to close at the turn of the year.
He also warned that all gambling properties including casinos and slots halls would have to relocate to outside towns and cities by December 31.The country’s Gambling Commission will be replaced by a ‘new regime’ that would ‘license and control gambling activity remotely through the internet.’
He described the move to ban sports betting as ‘a painful but indispensable decision’ adding that parliament should be presented with the bill in the coming weeks.
Deputy Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari said. “The ban is in the interest of the Albanian population even if this decision has financial implications for the state budget.”
Artan Shyti, Head of the Association of Sports Betting Societies, has warned that the closures would affect over 8,00 jobs. Instead of a blanket ban he wants the existing industry to be halved in size.
According to the Albanian Ministry of Finance, the 2.8m inhabitants of the Mediterranean state spend a total of €140m to €150m in the 4,200 betting shops per year. Albania receives around €54m in taxes from the betting industry each year.