The proposed Gambling Law needs to be reverted to a draft form, with the inclusion of operators in the working group, as the new legal proposal fails to improve the business environment and instead introduces more barriers, potentially fostering the development of the black market. This was emphasized during the press conference “Challenges and Perspectives – Legal Regulation of Gambling in Montenegro,” organized by the Gambling Operators Group.
Savo Martinović, a representative from Maestral Hotels and Casinos, argued that the law proposal is poorly drafted and lacks proper procedure. He pointed out that none of the operators’ suggestions were incorporated into the final draft, and key institutions such as the Ministry of Health and media representatives were not involved in the process. Martinović criticized the new system for issuing gambling licenses, which removes the concession system in favor of a more bureaucratic approach. He warned that this could undermine trust in state institutions.
According to Martinović, the law’s stricter regulations will likely push the industry towards the black market. He stressed that improving enforcement of existing laws, rather than introducing harsher regulations, would be a better approach. Additionally, the law’s changes would lead to the sudden invalidation of existing concessions within six months unless operators reapply under the new rules, creating further instability.
Martinović proposed returning the Gambling Law to its draft stage and expanding the working group to include experts from the industry, both domestic and international, along with relevant state institutions and media. He emphasized the importance of the law being implemented properly, without unnecessary restrictions.
Oleg Sekulović from Vezuv – Volcano also expressed concerns, pointing out that changes to the Anti-Money Laundering Law and the Income Tax Law would negatively affect the business environment for operators. He criticized the government’s approach, which lacked proper consultation with operators, leading to laws that are either impractical or unaligned with EU directives.
Sekulović also highlighted discrepancies between the Gambling Law and the Anti-Money Laundering Law, particularly regarding thresholds for customer identification, which creates unnecessary administrative burdens. Furthermore, the proposal gives state-owned lotteries an advantage over private operators, exacerbating business barriers for private companies.
Miloš Lalević from MNA Gaming – Admiral stressed the need for a partnership between operators and the state to create a new, comprehensive legal framework. He noted that the public consultation process had been largely ignored, and the government failed to synchronize different legal proposals regarding concessions and gambling operations, leading to conflicts with existing agreements.
Overall, the industry representatives called for a more inclusive approach to lawmaking, one that ensures fair competition and supports the legitimate business interests of operators while improving regulation and enforcement in Montenegro’s gambling sector.
