Georgia prepares offshore licenses for international casino, slots, and sportsbook operations

Georgia may soon add three new license types for offshore gambling activity, with a 5% GGR tax for operators that do not serve Georgian residents. For PSPs, acquirers, and partner banks, the point is straightforward: the country is trying to turn cross-border gaming into a licensed, taxed business line rather than an informal one.

1. Georgia’s parliament may urgently review amendments to gambling regulation that would introduce three new licenses: for international casino games in a system-electronic format, international system-electronic slot games, and international system-electronic sportsbook games.
2. Each license would cost 10,000 lari ($3,8 thousand). Operators holding these licenses would not be allowed to serve Georgian citizens, which makes the regime explicitly offshore rather than domestic.
3. The tax rate for these operators would be 5% of GGR, down from 20%. That is the main commercial hook here: lower tax, narrow customer scope, and a licensed framework for international play.
4. Non-compliance with the licensing agreement would carry fines of up to $7,6 thousand. The proposal is also framed by the government as a way to attract new international operators, increase foreign direct investment, and create additional jobs in IT, marketing, and cybersecurity.