MP’s remarks on gambling law cut off during NA debate

PanARMENIAN.Net - During a parliamentary session, Civil Contract MP Hayk Sargsyan raised concerns over delays in implementing the Law on Gambling Activities, pointing to the State Revenue Committee's failure to appoint an operator, despite Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s January 2024 directive stressing the need for timely enforcement.

Sargsyan noted that the law was adopted in the summer of 2024 and came into force in January 2025. However, no gambling operator has yet been appointed, in contradiction to the government’s original commitments.

In response, Deputy Chairman of the SRC Rafael Gevorgyan said the law would only take effect once an operator is officially selected, a condition explicitly stated in the legislation. He added that the complexity of the 15-year public-private partnership contract required a comprehensive approach, which extended the timeline.

Sargsyan also criticized the government for removing key social safeguards from the bill that were originally designed to reduce gambling addiction risks. Among the removed clauses were:

• A ban on participation by citizens receiving state subsidies
• A ban on welfare recipients
• A ban on individuals undergoing bankruptcy proceedings
• Restrictions on those whose consumer debt exceeds a certain threshold
• A ban on pension-age individuals

He argued that these removals significantly weakened oversight and public protections.

However, as he began outlining the fourth point, session chair Ruben Rubinyan interrupted and ordered Sargsyan’s microphone to be cut off, preventing him from completing his remarks.