A company registration does not authorise a gambling business. First identify the activity and the permit category that covers it. Georgia’s law distinguishes physical venues, electronic operations, international electronic operations and game supply. The legal assessment should address the proposed operator, audience, premises or domain, technical arrangements and continuing compliance together.
Identify the regulated activity
Article 11 of the Law on Organising Lotteries, Games of Chance and Other Prize Games lists distinct permit categories, including casinos, betting, slot-machine venues, electronic forms of these activities, promotional draws and game supply. It provides that these permits are issued only to entrepreneurs registered in Georgia. Incorporation is therefore an eligibility step, not the permit itself.
Describe who operates the games, who supplies the software, where customers are located and how payments are handled. A supplier and an operator can have different legal roles. Do not select a permit merely because its name resembles the business’s marketing description.
Check the electronic and international categories separately
The current Georgian text includes separate international electronic categories. Its definition of international electronic organisation excludes participation by Georgian citizens. Article 11 also contains category-specific rules on the relationship with physical premises and the use of a single internet domain for each relevant electronic permit.
An existing casino or betting permit should not be assumed to authorise every online product or every audience. The consequences of suspension or cancellation of an underlying physical permit must also be checked where the electronic permission depends on it. Record the selected legal category before entering platform or premises commitments.
Prepare a category-specific application file
The Revenue Service is the permit authority. The law’s application provisions differ by activity: for example, Article 19 addresses casino-related permissions and Article 20 addresses slot-machine permissions. Assemble the application against the applicable provision and the current official service requirements; the following is a preparation checklist, not an exhaustive statutory list.
- Georgian business registration, ownership information and signing authority
- Description of the proposed games, operating model, premises and internet domain where relevant
- Game rules, technical-system and security documentation required for the chosen category
- Evidence supporting the origin of funds where the applicable provision requires it
- Applicable permit fees, separate tax obligations and any additional information requested by the authority
Plan compliance beyond the application
A permit is part of an ongoing regulatory framework. Review participant eligibility and exclusion requirements, identity checks, records, applicable advertising restrictions and any anti-money-laundering duties relevant to the actual business. Article 7 provides for supervision of permit conditions; approval does not remove later inspection or enforcement risks.
Keep an accountable record of who maintains each control and how changes in ownership, premises, software or the domain will be assessed. A change to the operating model may require action before implementation. Fees and processing time should be confirmed for the precise category and application, rather than quoted as one universal figure.
If the application is refused or conditions are challenged
Preserve the full application, attachments, further-information requests, decision and proof of service. Establish whether the issue concerns eligibility, missing evidence, the permit category or ongoing compliance. Review the available challenge procedure and deadline against the decision and applicable law before deciding whether to supplement, reapply or appeal.
This guide was reconstructed from current official legislation on 23 October 2026. The linked Georgian consolidated text includes amendments through 25 June 2026. The English translation displayed by Matsne is older and must not be used as the sole statement of current rules.
Common questions
Does registering a Georgian company allow it to start operating games?
No. Registration and the relevant sector permit are separate. The precise activity and all applicable conditions must be assessed before operations begin.
Does a foreign gambling licence automatically apply in Georgia?
Do not assume recognition. Assess the Georgian permit framework, the operator’s role and the market served. A foreign licence does not by itself establish a Georgian authorisation.
Can one permit cover every electronic gaming product?
The law distinguishes categories and imposes specific conditions. Map each product, domain and intended audience to the applicable permission and verify any dependency on another permit.
Official source
Check the applicable current text and any special rules for the transaction.
Matsne — current Georgian consolidated law, especially Articles 3, 7, 11, 19 and 20
This guide provides general preparation information. The correct documents, formalities and next step depend on the facts and applicable law.