Featured Image

Georgia has completed the rollout of its international iGaming licensing framework, introducing a regulatory structure designed for operators serving players outside the country while combining licensing, banking and payment services under a single system.

The framework, which entered a soft-launch phase in July 2026, is now fully operational, according to Random Systems Georgia (RSG), the organization selected by the Georgian government to oversee and advise on the initiative. The regime covers online casino gaming, slot products and sports betting but excludes participation by Georgian citizens.

Officials and project representatives say the new system is intended to provide gambling operators with a regulatory base that integrates licensing requirements with financial and operational infrastructure, allowing businesses to establish international-facing operations from Georgia.

Licensing Model Combines Regulation and Financial Access

Georgia’s Parliament approved legislation permitting the international provision of online gambling services, creating a legal pathway for operators targeting overseas markets. Under the framework, each licence is linked to a single website, and licensed operators must implement measures that automatically block access for Georgian citizens.

The licensing structure includes a five-year permit and several financial obligations. Operators are subject to a 5% tax on gross gaming revenue, a 1% regulatory monitoring fee and an annual permit charge of GEL 100,000 (€33,370). Profits that are reinvested into the business qualify for a 0% corporate tax rate.

A key feature of the framework is its inclusion of banking and payment infrastructure. Operators licensed under the regime can access Georgian corporate banking services and payment processing arrangements that support gambling-coded MCC 7995 transactions.

Businesses can also complete onboarding procedures remotely and are not required to maintain a physical office within Georgia. The system further incorporates compliance support and operational services designed to assist licensed operators.

According to RSG, the objective extends beyond the issuance of licences.

“Georgia is not building another licensing jurisdiction. We are building a country-level ecosystem for international iGaming,” said Vakhtang Katamadze, a member of the RSG Supervisory Board.

“Our approach is simple: if a serious operator chooses Georgia, the system should help that operator succeed. Licensing, banking, payments, taxation, regulation and operational support must work together.

We want operators to focus on building their business, not on constantly solving infrastructure problems around it. Our role is to create that stability and predictable in order to make Georgia the place where global iGaming businesses can build, operate and grow.”

Building on Existing Industry Presence

Georgia enters the international licensing market with an established gambling technology sector already operating within the country. Tbilisi hosts a range of software developers, live casino businesses, game studios and customer-support operations that serve the global gambling industry.

Companies with operations in the Georgian capital include Spribe, SmartSoft, Evolution, Flutter, Entain and Betsson. Project representatives argue that while much of the industry's technological activity is already based in Georgia, licensing and financial infrastructure have historically been located elsewhere.

The new framework aims to capture a larger share of that value by connecting local industry expertise with domestic regulatory and banking services.

The initiative was first presented publicly during SBC Summit Tbilisi in July, where officials outlined plans to create a unified governance model involving government agencies, regulators, the Ministry of Finance, the Revenue Service and banking institutions.

Georgia International Strategic Group (GISG), which serves as the exclusive authorized representative for international iGaming licensing, has since begun promoting the framework to operators worldwide.

Top Poker casinos
Overall Rating: 94
Overall Rating: 92
Overall Rating: 89

Focus on International Markets

The new regime remains separate from Georgia’s domestic gambling sector. Georgian citizens are prohibited from participating through licensed international platforms, and recent domestic restrictions remain in force. According to information supplied by the project, Georgia raised the legal gambling age to 25 in 2024 and exclusion measures have resulted in more than 1.5 million citizens being barred from gambling activities.

Instead, the licensing program is being marketed to operators seeking access to international markets, particularly businesses targeting the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central Asia and other neighboring regions.

Georgia believes its geographic position and existing technology infrastructure create an opportunity to attract operators looking for alternatives to more established licensing hubs.

With the framework now fully launched, attention is shifting toward implementation. RSG said the first licensees are preparing to begin operations, while regulators and banks have already started onboarding participants.

“Trust is not written into law it is earned in practice. Georgia is earning it now: banks are onboarding operators, the regulator answers in days, the first licensees are preparing to go live. We are not asking the industry to take our word for it. We invite every serious operator to come and see the system working for themselves.”

Under the rules, licence breaches or missed payment deadlines can result in fines of GEL 20,000 (€6,670). Officials have also indicated that an additional upgrade to the framework aimed at operators is expected to be announced later this month.

Source:

“Georgia Launches International iGaming Regime“, lcb.org, October 1, 2026.