Montenegro’s new Gambling Law sparks debate over fees and regulation

The new Gambling Law is a continuation of reforms that began in 2023 when amendments to the existing Gambling Law were made, according to Danko Dragović from the Gambling Directorate at the Ministry of Finance.

Speaking on the “Naglas” TVCG show, Dragović explained that the law regulates several areas or pillars. “There is the obligation related to the transfer of gaming rights. Previously, we had concession agreements assigned based on the location of the operator. We had hundreds of such agreements, but now we have decided that approvals will be issued through an administrative procedure. A decision will be made for each individual location. The issue of money laundering, which is always present in this field, is especially emphasized, particularly with regard to online money laundering. These norms are not always visible, but they are very important. There is also the unavoidable matter of fees and the social aspect of gambling,” Dragović said.

He added that the increase in revenue is a result of new norms, collaboration with the Gambling Administration, and numerous other activities.

Savo Martinović from the Association of Gambling Operators stated that the Association considers the draft and proposal of the law a significant step backward compared to the current legislation in Montenegro. However, he clarified that this does not mean that gambling operators are opposed to the law or that they do not wish to regulate these matters.

“Annual fees have been increased by 100%, taxes have risen, and new burdens have been introduced. A fixed fee of 50 EUR per machine has been imposed for slot machines. This trend continues with this law,” Martinović explained.

He also noted that operators were only informed about the law’s preparation after the summer. “The public consultation mechanism was carried out through a roundtable, where all operators participated and discussed various topics. The report from the public consultation was neither adequately analyzed nor made available to the public in a timely manner. This was not just the case for me but also for other government bodies,” said Martinović, explaining that the Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services also had concerns.

He also pointed out the absurdity of the fact that inspection authorities had sent comments on the proposed law.

Igor Milošević from ADP Zid mentioned that the report from the public consultation was over 100 pages long, with a large number of comments. He highlighted that he had participated in public consultations for over 15 years and had never heard that operators were satisfied.

“There are shortcomings from all sides. It seems to me that only the ministry, or the government, is unsure about the priorities of the law. One of those issues is mental health,” said Milošević.