LAW ON CASINOS WILL BE AMENDED
Lragir.am
3/02/10
Their views on the amendments to the law on casinos expressed the
chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs Vardan
Ayvazian, Deputy Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan and expert Karine
Hakobyan.
The amendments propose to increase fees for licenses for the operations
of gambling houses and casinos from 400 million drams to 1 billion
drams to establish zoning, under which casinos are located near major
population centers, will pay a higher amount. There is a proposal
to provide benefits to those who intend to open a casino in the
border areas.
Deputy Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan announced about a new policy on
gambling houses since 2013. The zones where casinos will be located
have been determined: they will be located in the tourist areas –
Sevan, Jermuk and Tsakhkadzor, as well as at the airport.
The expert Karine Hakobyan noted that there are serious moral problems
in Sevan, Jermuk and Tsakhkadzor. "Casinos bring state revenue, but who
needs income at such a price? We have no concept of safe development
of the country. For developing countries, tourism and entertainment
could not be recognized as a priority sector", said Karine Hakobyan.