Government of Armenia on September 17 has passed a decision where bookmakers would be kept at a certain distance from main stream population. The Armenian Government has done so with the view to prevent the people from being allured by bookmakers and to prevent losses of money.

Bookmakers will have to relocate their offices which would be at least 150 meters away from populated areas such as educational institutions, historic-cultural institution, state and local self governing offices and hospitals. The distance is 100 meter elsewhere, with the exception of administrative centers of Syunik, Meghri and Tavush where the limit is set at 50 meters, reported ArmenPress.

Finance Minister of Armenia, Atom Janjughazyan said at the Cabinet meeting that, “Currently bookmakers have offices mostly in heavily populated areas. This is negatively impacting the society by creating the dangers of easily being allured with gambling”, reported ArmenPress.

The authorities stated that they have developed the law after studying international practices.