Serbia’s Ministry of Finance, led by Novica Vuković, has fired back at plans to tighten the laws surrounding the placement of new betting venues.
Proposals put forward by Serbian Democracy (NSD) MPs Vaso Obradović and Milica Rondović would mandate a minimum distance of 80 metres between new betting facilities.
The pair argued the rule was needed to reduce the negative impacts of gambling by ensuring a medium-term reduction in the number of gambling venues.
However, Vuković urged MPs not to vote in favour of the proposals, stating that they would prevent the opening of new gambling venues but have little impact on the density of gambling venues as existing establishments would remain in place.
A statement released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by Vijesti argued that the proposed amendments violate the ‘equal treatment of all market participants’.
The department said: “The proposed amendment does not achieve the goal that its proponents publicly advocate. Instead of reducing the concentration of betting facilities, it practically turns the existing situation into a permanent market advantage for those that are already operating.
“Existing facilities that do not meet the new requirement would continue to operate without any obligation to comply, while the restriction would apply exclusively to new branches. Such a solution does not reduce the number of betting shops or change the existing concentration of facilities.”
The Ministry added that current legislation, originally established in August 2025, is already having the desired impact of reducing the number of gambling locations, as well as leading to the seizure of illegal gaming machines and sanctions for non-compliant advertising.
According to Serbia’s Games of Chance Administration, there are currently 50 venues holding licences to house slot machines, down from a peak of 61 in 2024. Meanwhile, there are also 18 land-based betting outlets – a figure that has fluctuated between 18 and 20 since 2018 – and two casinos.
The Ministry also noted that amendments to the Laws on Games of Chance are currently being considered by Serbia’s parliament to strengthen laws against illegal gambling.
“The focus of the Ministry of Finance is not on measures that produce privileged market participants, but on closing the space for the shadow economy, strengthening control mechanisms and creating equal conditions for all who operate in accordance with the law,” the department added.
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