Albania Considers Sports Betting Monopoly and Online Gambling Ban

The Albanian government is looking to place restrictions on its online and land-based gambling operations. In early October, Prime Minister Edi Rama told the media that all gambling venues, including slot halls, casinos, and betting shops, would be forced to move to the outskirts of cities and towns by the end of the year or face governmental action.

 

The PM further stated that the Albanian Gambling Commission would also be shut down till the new year, as a “new regime” would be put in place to regulate licensing and monitor gambling activity via online methods.

 

However, the leader’s announcements only led to more confusion, especially with regard to the status of online gambling. Rama had issued a statement on social media saying that the online monopoly and gambling would see their end by New Year. However, a week later, he announced that online gambling would be permitted as part of a second phase, after the initial shutdown.

 

Special state-controlled structures to oversee sports and race betting

 

According to a report from The Tirana Times, the government was thinking over the prospect of operating sports betting and race betting as a state monopoly and controlling them via specially established state structures.

 

This was soon followed by reports that the online gambling aspect of the gambling overhaul would be complex, as stated by the PM. However, the PM believes that a proper conclusion will be reached once a thorough assessment of the situation is carried out.

 

Earlier this week, The Balkan Insight reported that the Parliamentary Commission on Economy accepted the proposed legislation to place a ban on retail gambling while creating a clause allowing the closure of the country’s online betting operation. The legislation will be voted over on next week.

 

The clause calling for the closure of online betting was added after opposition parties claimed that the government was simply boosting business for the country’s online betting monopoly on the pretext of offering protection to customers. The PM responded to these claims by labeling them as “a defamation.”

 

Ironically, the claims were supported by Sali Bersha, the country’s former PM, who told the media that Rama’s intentions were to simply close down retail gambling outlets and shift the business to the state monopoly, which was run by his brother.