Georgia to Reveal Its iGaming Export Licence Regime in August 2026

Georgia will publish the full detail of its new iGaming export licence regime in August 2026, a framework that lets operators serve customers outside the country while paying just 5% tax on gross gaming revenue and holding a five-year permit. The initiative, trailed at SBC Summit Tbilisi on 15 to 16 July 2026, is built on a draft bill already before parliament, and it is designed to turn Georgia into a licensing base for Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East rather than a domestic gambling market.

The plan was set out by Vakhtang Katamadze, a Supervisory Board member of RSG, who framed August as the moment Georgia formally introduces itself to the global industry. The pitch is deliberately different from the low-cost, high-volume hubs that dominate the sector today, and the language used in Tbilisi made that positioning explicit.

What did Georgia actually announce?

Georgia did not launch the regime this week. It signalled that the complete rulebook, including the supervisory model and application detail, will be revealed in August 2026. The underlying legislation, an amendment to the Law on the Organisation of Lotteries, Gambling and Profitable Games, was submitted to parliament under an accelerated procedure on 24 June 2026, so the August unveiling is the public rollout of a framework that is already moving through the legislative pipeline.

What is an iGaming "export" regime?

An export regime is a licence that permits a company to run online gambling from inside a country while being legally barred from taking bets or wagers from that country's own residents. Georgia's version applies to online casino and sports betting operators that serve customers exclusively abroad. Georgian citizens are automatically blocked from these platforms, keeping the domestic market and the international market cleanly separated. It is the same logical structure that built Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man into licensing centres.

How much tax will operators pay?

The headline number is a 5% tax on gross gaming revenue, calculated on net revenue after winnings are paid out. That sits far below the standard rate applied to operators facing Georgian consumers, which is reported at 20%. The gap is the entire commercial argument: an operator licensed for export pays a quarter of the domestic rate, in a jurisdiction where several major groups already run staff and technology.

What are the licence terms and fees?

The draft sets out clear, low-friction terms aimed at operators comparing jurisdictions on a spreadsheet. Key parameters reported from the bill include the following:

• Tax: 5% of gross gaming revenue for export operators, versus a reported 20% for domestic-facing licences.
• Annual licence fee: GEL 100,000, roughly €33,000 to £29,000 depending on exchange rate.
• Licence duration: five years.
• Permitted products: online slots and sports betting.
• Websites per licence: one, compared with two allowed under the general online gambling regime.
• Eligibility: foreign nationals and stateless persons.
• Non-compliance fine: GEL 20,000 for breaches.

How does 5% compare with rival jurisdictions?

Georgia is entering a tax-rate race that is already running. Estonia has legislated to cut its GGR rate to 4% by 2029, and established hubs compete on a mix of headline rate, compliance load and reputation. The table below sets Georgia's proposed export terms against the wider field on the metrics operators weigh first.

Jurisdiction	Headline GGR tax on export/online	Positioning
Georgia (proposed export licence)	5%	New entrant, "quality over cost" pitch
Estonia	Reducing to 4% by 2029	EU member cutting rate to attract operators
Malta	Low effective rate via gaming tax structure	Established EU licensing hub
Georgia (domestic-facing)	Reported 20%	Standard local market rate

The point of the comparison is not that Georgia is the cheapest. It is that a 5% rate is competitive enough to earn a place on the shortlist, while the country tries to win on governance and location rather than on being the lowest number in the row.

Why "the Switzerland of iGaming"?

The most quotable line from Tbilisi was a rejection of the obvious comparison. Katamadze told the summit that Georgia is chasing a different reputation from the volume-driven licensing centres, and he tied that to a promise of stronger oversight.

"We do not want to become the Malta of iGaming; we want to become its Switzerland."

He also framed the August reveal as a strategic introduction rather than a routine regulatory update.

"August will be an opportunity for Georgia to present itself to the global industry, not simply as another licensing jurisdiction, but as a long-term investment destination."

The substance behind the slogan is a stated emphasis on anti-money laundering controls, know-your-customer obligations, transparent supervision and financial governance. In other words, Georgia wants to sell trust and stability alongside a low rate, betting that operators increasingly value a clean regulatory address as banking and payment partners tighten their own due diligence.

Who already operates in Georgia?

Georgia is not starting from zero. Major international groups including Flutter Entertainment, Betsson and Entain already run technology and service operations in Tbilisi, and locally the market features Adjarabet, owned by Flutter, and Betsson Georgia, the former europebet brand. That existing footprint matters: an operator that already employs engineers and support staff in Tbilisi faces a far shorter path to setting up a licensed export entity than one arriving cold.

How big is gambling in Georgia's economy?

The sector is already economically significant. Gaming is estimated to generate roughly 2% to 3% of Georgia's national GDP, which gives the government both a revenue incentive to grow the industry and a political reason to keep the domestic and export markets separate. Exporting gambling services, rather than expanding domestic play, lets the state capture international revenue without increasing gambling exposure among its own population.

Why block Georgian citizens at all?

The ring-fence is central to the design. Georgia has tightened domestic gambling access sharply in recent years, including a controversial move to raise the minimum gambling age to 25 and policies that have excluded an estimated 1.5 million citizens from gambling. An export-only regime squares the circle: it lets Georgia court foreign operators and foreign revenue while maintaining, and even hardening, restrictions on its own residents. The two goals only coexist because the licence forbids serving the local market.

Where does Georgia want to sell its licence?

Geography is part of the pitch. Georgia sits at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, and officials have positioned the country as a regulatory gateway for operators targeting those regions. For groups eyeing emerging markets across the Caucasus, Central Asia and beyond, a stable, low-tax base with recognised AML standards is a more defensible home than an offshore shell.

How does this fit the wider 2026 regulatory picture?

Georgia's move lands in a year of aggressive regulatory repositioning worldwide. Angola opened a 30-day licensing window to formalise its market, Greece moved to DNS-level blocking of illegal domains, and the UK plans to ban unlicensed gambling sponsors. The common thread is jurisdictions using licensing and tax policy as an economic lever, some to attract operators, others to push out the unlicensed grey market. Georgia is firmly in the first camp.

What are the risks and open questions?

Several details still sit with the August reveal. The bill limits export licences to online slots and sports betting, so operators in live casino, poker or emerging verticals will want clarity on scope. The one-website-per-licence rule is more restrictive than the domestic two-site allowance and could shape how multi-brand groups structure entities. And as a foreign-facing regime, Georgia's long-term credibility will rest on whether its supervision is as robust in practice as the "Switzerland" branding promises, particularly with international banks and payment providers scrutinising the source of gambling revenue.

What happens next?

The immediate milestone is the August 2026 unveiling, when the government is expected to publish the full framework, including supervisory arrangements and the application process, on top of a bill already advancing through parliament. Operators evaluating a European, Central Asian or Middle Eastern expansion should treat August as the point to model Georgia against Estonia, Malta and other hubs on real terms rather than headline slogans.

Key facts at a glance

• Georgia will reveal its full iGaming export licence regime in August 2026.
• Export operators would pay 5% GGR tax, versus a reported 20% domestic rate.
• Annual licence fee is GEL 100,000; licences run five years.
• Permitted products are online slots and sports betting, one website per licence.
• Georgian citizens are automatically blocked; only foreign customers may play.
• Flutter, Betsson and Entain already run operations in Tbilisi.
• The enabling bill was submitted to parliament on 24 June 2026 under an accelerated procedure.

Frequently asked questions

When will Georgia's iGaming export regime be revealed?

Georgia said the full framework will be presented in August 2026. The enabling legislation was already submitted to parliament on 24 June 2026 under an accelerated procedure.

How much tax will operators pay under Georgia's export licence?

The proposal sets a 5% tax on gross gaming revenue for operators serving customers outside Georgia, well below the reported 20% rate for domestic-facing licences.

Can Georgian residents use these export platforms?

No. The regime is export-only. Georgian citizens are automatically blocked, and licences may serve foreign nationals and stateless persons only.

What does an export licence cost and how long does it last?

Reported terms include an annual licence fee of GEL 100,000, a five-year duration, one website per licence and a GEL 20,000 fine for non-compliance.

Which operators already have a presence in Georgia?

Flutter Entertainment, Betsson and Entain run technology and service operations in Tbilisi, and the local market includes Adjarabet, owned by Flutter, and Betsson Georgia, formerly europebet.

Updated July 2026. This is a developing story; iGaming Daily News will update it when Georgia publishes the full regime in August.

Sources: SBC News, Focus Gaming News, SBC News (June 2026).