Armenia continues to enhance its gambling regulatory framework. On Wednesday, June 12, the country’s parliament approved a package of amendments to existing gambling laws.
The new regulations introduce differentiated taxes on gambling winnings, categorizing them as “large wins” and “regular wins.”
A “large win” is defined as any single win of 5 million drams or approximately €11,000 or more, which will be subject to a 5% income tax. This measure ensures that significant gambling profits are “adequately taxed.” For smaller wins, the net winnings calculated as the difference between total winnings and bets placed will be subject to a 10% income tax.
These changes aim to simplify the taxation process for smaller, private winnings, ensuring players pay a fair share based on actual profits.
Previously, large winnings were taxed at a higher rate of 10%, with gambling companies acting as tax agents. The new tax structure provides a fairer and more manageable process for both players and gambling companies.
Under the new requirements, gambling companies will act as tax agents for large profits, withholding the 5% tax at source. This mechanism simplifies tax collection and ensures compliance. For smaller profits earned throughout the year, the relevant authorities will calculate the net income, and the 10% tax will be applied when citizens file their annual income declarations.
Chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs Babken Tunyan stressed the importance of these measures to “ensure that gambling profits contribute to the national economy without placing an undue burden on citizens.” He emphasized that the new tax structure is intended to be fair and transparent, providing “clarity and consistency in the taxation of gambling winnings.”
As noted by 4H Agency, a strategic consultancy for gambling markets in the CIS and Eastern Europe, the Armenian parliament also made several other amendments to further regulate the country’s gambling industry. The new directives include the creation of a new sub-regulator to oversee certification and monitoring procedures, as well as a ban on offshore gambling.
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