In recent years, the global iGaming market has been booming with the popularization of the Internet and the advancement of technology, becoming an industry with great potential. It attracts the participation of many people who want to make quick money and entrepreneurs. At the same time, the Internet has more and more application scenarios in life, providing gamblers with convenient entertainment methods and stronger privacy. This has not only changed the pattern of the gambling industry but also prompted countries to pay attention to gambling licenses and their regulatory systems. However, the hottest thing in the iGaming industry recently is that after the Philippines banned POGO, I often heard friends or people around me talking about the gambling situation in various countries around the world. The names of many countries have never been heard of by Tiancheng Baowang editor before, such as "Palau", but today we are not talking about "Palau" but Armenia. Maybe some people have never heard of this country. After all, it is a small country with a population of less than 3 million. However, they are open to gambling, whether it is iGaming or offline gambling, even offshore gambling can give you a license. So today, TC-Gaming editor will talk to all the gambling bosses about Armenia white label, gambling licenses, and the current situation of the gambling market.

Global Gambling Status

Today's gambling industry can be roughly divided into two major areas: offline gambling and iGaming. Offline gambling, such as traditional gambling forms such as physical casinos, racetracks, and lottery sales points, still occupies an important position in the entire industry. However, with the rapid development of technology and the popularization of the Internet, iGaming is gradually becoming the backbone of the gambling industry, showing a strong growth momentum.

At the same time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, iGaming has seen unprecedented growth. The quarantine implemented worldwide has restricted traditional entertainment methods. Under this special situation, iGaming has become a choice for many people seeking excitement and entertainment, which has also boosted the iGaming industry.

According to the latest data analysis from Hushu.com, the global iGaming market has maintained an average annual growth rate of about 11% in the past few years. It is expected that by 2025, the entire market size will exceed the US$127 billion mark, showing huge development potential and commercial value.

The rapid development of the gambling industry is mainly due to the following factors:

• Technological progress:The application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain provides a safer and fairer gambling environment for iGaming platforms.
• Popularization of mobile Internet:The widespread use of smartphones and high-speed mobile networks allows users to participate in iGaming activities anytime and anywhere.
• Changes in regulatory attitudes in various countries:More and more countries have begun to recognize the economic value of the gambling industry, gradually relaxing regulations and establishing a more complete regulatory system.

In this context, some countries and regions have begun to actively promote the development of offshore gambling business. In addition to Armenia, which we are about to discuss, Malta, Curacao, and Gibraltar have also adopted open offshore gambling policies. These regions are gradually becoming emerging hotspots for global gambling companies.

It is worth mentioning that Southeast Asia has long been a concentration of gambling operators, with the Philippines playing an important role. However, the recent ban on POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) issued by the Philippine government has caused great turmoil in the gambling industry in the region. Regardless of size, many gambling companies have been forced to find new operating bases.

In this case, TC-Gaming often hears similar discussions through exchanges with industry insiders:

• "Where does XYZ Company plan to relocate to?"
• "Which countries have more relaxed gambling regulations?"
• "Where is gambling legal in Southeast Asia, Africa, or the Middle East?"

It is in this environment and background that Armenia, which is geographically relatively close to Southeast Asia, has entered the vision of many gambling companies with its open gambling policies and stable legal environment, and is considered one of the potential options for relocation of the iGaming industry.

Armenian Gambling Background and Licensing System

In the early 21st century, the Armenian government also kept pace with the times and established a comprehensive gambling supervision system. At the same time, it continuously improved and optimized the regulatory framework for gambling operators, as well as standardized regulatory measures in the field of iGaming. Therefore, in Armenia, both iGaming and offline gambling have licenses and regulatory agencies. Strictly speaking, gambling in Armenia is one of the emerging markets that gambling industry players are paying attention to. After all, before this, there were too many iGaming centers in Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Dubai, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. Of course, many of the iGaming mentioned here are illegal, but there is no way. Before this, gambling practitioners chose these places.

When TC-Gaming was writing this article, it also saw online news that pointed out:

Armenia's gambling revenue has grown rapidly, with total gambling revenue reaching $12.5 billion in 2022 alone.

Armenian Gambling Establishment Time and Gambling Regulations

The Armenian gambling industry officially started in 2001, when the Armenian government promulgated a landmark gambling law, paving the way for the legal operation of offline casinos and other types of gambling institutions. The main reason is probably that the potential of the gambling industry to stimulate the economy was seen, so it set out to establish a regulated gambling market.

In the following years, the Armenian government continued to improve its gambling regulations. 2004 was another important turning point. The Armenian authorities revised the existing gambling laws, not only expanding the scope of gambling types but also adding some new gambling management mechanisms, aiming to promote the development of Armenia's gambling industry and attract more international investment.

In 2011, Armenia took an important step in gambling regulation by formulating detailed licensing regulations specifically for the booming iGaming sector, which created conditions and opened the door for the entry of local gambling operators and international gambling companies.

Armenian Gambling License Types and Systems

Armenia currently offers two main types of gambling licenses to cater to different types of gambling operations:

• Offline Casino License: Mainly for physical casinos and offline gambling venues. Operators are allowed to set up and operate traditional gambling facilities in Armenia, including various table games, slot machines, etc.
• iGaming License: Specially used for the operation of iGaming platforms. It covers iGaming, including iGaming table games, sports betting, lottery, poker, etc.

To legally operate iGaming business in Armenia, gambling operators must obtain a local gambling license. When issuing a license, the Armenian regulatory authorities will make requirements for applicants. Mainly including:

• Financial transparency: Operators are required to provide detailed financial reports and audit results to demonstrate the stability and transparency of their financial situation.
• Customer Account Verification: : Require strict customer identity verification procedures to prevent underage gambling and money laundering.
• Secure Transactions:Advanced encryption technology and security measures must be used to protect players' personal information and financial data.

In fact, most countries where gambling is legal generally have these requirements, and the differences are similar. However, the implementation process is very different.

What language is spoken in Armenia

The language used by the Armenians is also not uniform, but there are differences in proportion;

Mainly Armenian

Armenian is the official language of the country of Armenia and is used in daily life, government affairs, and the education system. According to the latest statistics, up to 98-99% of Armenian citizens speak Armenian as their mother tongue. At the same time, Armenian belongs to the Indo-European language family and is an independent language with no direct relationship to other languages. Armenian has its own independent alphabet.

Russian as a second language

Due to historical and geographical factors, Russian is still widely spoken in Armenia, especially among the elderly. The roots of this language's popularity can be traced back to the Soviet era. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, although Armenian became the dominant language again, the influence of Russia still exists. Many older Armenians are still accustomed to using Russian in their work and daily life. According to statistics, about 30-40% of Armenians can communicate fluently in Russian.

English proficiency is on the rise

In recent years, the popularity of English in Armenia has shown a rapid upward trend, especially among young people. It is mainly used in education, technology, and tourism. Although the use of English is still relatively low, it is gradually becoming an important second language for the new generation of Armenian citizens. Especially in large cities such as the capital Yerevan, and in those industries that frequently connect with the international community, the use of English is more common.

Cost of living in Armenia 2024

The cost of living in Armenia in 2024 is generally acceptable. The following is a list of some key living costs for you:

Housing and rent

• City Center: In the capital, Yerevan, monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is around $300-500.
• Suburbs: Apartments outside the city or in the suburbs are cheaper, with one-bedroom apartments costing around $250-350.
• Three-bedroom apartment: The rent for a three-bedroom apartment in the suburbs is around $500-800.
• Utilities: Utilities, including electricity, heating, air conditioning, water, and garbage, are approximately $50-100 per month.

Transportation costs

• Public transportation: Public transportation in Armenia is relatively cheap, with a one-way ticket costing about $0.20-0.40. A monthly ticket costs about $10.
• FuelFuel: If you own a car, gasoline costs approximately $0.66 per liter.

Food and Entertainment

• Food costs: Eating out at restaurants is cheaper, about $5-10 a meal, while if you cook at home, a family of four can spend about $200 a month on food.

Fast food restaurants (like KFC): A meal combo costs around 15 to 20 Peruvian soles (approximately 4 to 5.5 dollars). A regular meal at a fast food chain in Armenia (such as KFC) costs about $4-6.

Chicken price:The market retail price of fresh chicken is approximately US$3-4 per kilogram, and the specific price will fluctuate depending on the season and supply.

Pork Price:The retail price of fresh pork is about US$6-8/kg, which is usually slightly higher than chicken.

• Entertainment expenses: Movie tickets cost about $5, while monthly subscriptions to streaming platforms such as Netflix cost about $10.

Other living expenses

• Internet and Phone Bills: Internet service usually costs around $20 and is widely available.
• Imported goods: Imported electronic products, luxury goods, etc. are more expensive, and usually the cost is increased significantly due to import taxes.

Generally speaking, the cost of living in Armenia is moderate, and the living budget should be sufficient for ordinary working people.

Internet in Armenia

Armenia's Internet infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years, especially in urban areas, where Internet coverage and speed have increased significantly. Here is the overall situation of Armenia's Internet:

Internet penetration and social media

• Armenia has a population of 2.78 million. There are 2.14 million Internet users in Armenia, with an Internet penetration rate of 77.0%. There are 1.55 million social media users, accounting for 55.8% of the total population. There are 4.18 million active cellular mobile connections.

Coverage

• Urban areas: The capital Yerevan and other major cities have relatively complete Internet infrastructure. Broadband and fiber-optic networks are widely used in homes, businesses, and public places, and the Internet penetration rate is high.
• Rural areas: Internet coverage is low in rural and remote areas, but in recent years the government and enterprises have been promoting the construction of network infrastructure to gradually increase Internet access rates in these areas.

Internet Service Providers

• Major operators: Armenia has several Internet service providers, including Beeline, Ucom, and Rostelecom, all of which provide home broadband, fiber optic, mobile data services, etc.
• Mobile network: The 4G LTE network has been covered in most cities, and the penetration rate of mobile networks is relatively high. With the development of technology, some operators have been testing 5G network services.

Internet speed

• The average mobile Internet connection speed on cellular networks in Armenia is 25.17 Mbps. Fixed Internet connection speed: 48.53 Mbps. Internet speeds in rural areas are relatively slow but are gradually improving.

Cost

• Home broadband: The average home broadband package costs about $15-30 per month, and the cost will vary depending on the bandwidth speed and service provider.
• Mobile data: Mobile data packages are reasonably priced, with 2-5GB packages costing around $5-10.

如何申请亚美尼亚在线博彩牌照？

Note: Applying for an Armenian iGaming license is a complicated matter, involving many steps, resources, and other requirements. TC-Gaming editor can only give a rough idea based on the information collected from the Internet, and there may be some inaccuracies. It can only be used as a rough reference:

Note: Applicants are advised to hire local legal counsel who is familiar with Armenian gambling laws. These professionals can provide important guidance to help applicants understand and meet legal and compliance requirements, and increase the chances of successful applications.

In Armenia, the main regulatory body for applying for offshore iGaming licenses is the Armenian Ministry of Finance, which has a State Revenue Committee (SRC) responsible for managing and reviewing gambling license applications. This agency not only oversees compliance across the gambling industry, but also handles the application, review, and issuance of licenses. The State Revenue Committee has a wide range of responsibilities, covering the entire process from preliminary review to final approval.

Overview of the process for applying for a gambling license:

1. Prepare a comprehensive application document:The applicant needs to provide a series of detailed and complete documents. In order to obtain a license (permit), the applicant submits an application to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Armenia, which should state the name of the applicant, the location of the organizer's server for organizing Internet winning games, the applicant's national registration number, the type of licensed activity the applicant intends to carry out (gambling, Internet gambling or casino organization); and a list of documents attached to the application. In addition: the company's complete registration information, detailed background information of all shareholders, a comprehensive financial status report of the company, a detailed description of the technical system, and a description of security measures, etc.
2. Submit an application formally to the National Revenue Commission: Applicants can submit their application online through the official website of the National Revenue Commission, or go to the designated office to submit a paper application.
3. Pay the relevant application fees: According to the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On State Responsibilities", the annual fee for the license (permit) for organizing Internet gambling games is 600 million Armenian drams (about 12 million yuan, with an exchange rate of 386 to 1 US dollar). At the same time, the applicant must also pay 600 million Armenian drams to the Armenian Treasury account, but sports betting is a little different and requires a deposit of 1.2 billion drams in your bank account.
4. Be patient during the review process: Internet gambling licenses (permits) are issued within 23 working days of submitting an application to the Ministry of Finance. If the documents attached to the application contain information that requires further study, an additional 23 working days may be allowed.
5. Final issuance of the license: If the application successfully passes all review stages, the State Revenue Committee will officially issue the iGaming license. The gambling license (permit) will be issued to the applicant within one month after the first annual state tax payment required by law.

Tax and financial requirements

Armenia imposes certain taxes on licensed gambling operators, and according to RA legislation, the only tax payable is profit tax, calculated at a rate of 18% of the tax base.

Difficulties you may encounter

If you relocate to Armenia, especially if you are a company in the gambling or related industries, you may face the following challenges:

1. Language barriers

The official language of Armenia is Armenian, and while English or Russian can be used in some areas, especially business and tourism, daily life and local administration are still mainly conducted in Armenian. This can cause communication difficulties in areas such as daily administration and dealing with legal and regulatory issues.

2. Regulatory and Legal Compliance

Although Armenia's regulatory environment in the gambling industry is relatively stable, companies need to understand the local legal framework and regulatory requirements in detail. This includes license applications, tax compliance, fund transfer regulations, etc. Failure to understand or be prepared for local laws may lead to delays or legal risks.

3. Infrastructure and technical support

Relocation involves many aspects and requires comprehensive planning. For example, the construction and upgrading of network infrastructure, the site selection and decoration of office space, the planning and construction of employee accommodation, the improvement of living facilities, and the overall environmental safety. Each aspect needs to be carefully considered to ensure that the operation after relocation can proceed smoothly. In addition, factors such as local regulatory requirements, cultural differences, and connection with existing businesses need to be considered to minimize the potential risks and problems caused by relocation.

4. Challenges in the financial and payment systems

Although Armenia's financial system is relatively sound, the convenience of online payments and cross-border financial transactions may be slightly less than that of some developed countries. Operators may need to cooperate with multiple banks and payment service providers to ensure the smooth flow of funds.

5. Taxation and financial planning

After relocating to Armenia, companies will face a completely new tax environment and regulatory system. This includes corporate tax, income tax, and tax administration specific to the gambling industry. For example, gambling companies may be subject to special gambling taxes, the calculation method and tax rate of which may differ from other industries.

There are also potential risks of tax violations, which may lead to additional financial burdens. For example, tax planning may lead to double taxation. Therefore, if you understand these regulations, you need to find professional consultants who are familiar with local tax laws, formulate reasonable tax strategies, and optimize tax structures. These are all invisible increases in costs and time spent on moving. However, if you want to avoid these problems, you have to find companies or people who handle such incidents.

6. Labor market and labor costs

Although Armenia has technical talents and skilled workers, professional and skilled talents in certain industries may be relatively scarce. In particular, in the professional technology or marketing of the gambling industry, it may be necessary to recruit talents from other countries or conduct internal training. However, for talents recruited from other countries, Armenia's visa and work permit procedures are relatively simplified, but there may still be problems with cross-border recruitment.

In terms of local people’s salaries, although Armenia’s labor costs have certain advantages compared to the talent costs in Western countries, they are not as advantageous as those in the Philippines.

7. Political and economic environment

Although Armenia's political and economic environment is relatively stable, it still faces some challenges and uncertainties. Due to its unique geographical location and complex historical background, the country may be affected by regional conflicts, especially its relations with neighboring countries, which may have an impact on its political and economic stability. In addition, as an emerging market, Armenia is also vulnerable to global economic fluctuations.

In terms of the gambling industry, although Armenia currently has a relatively open attitude towards iGaming, the policy environment may still change. With the rapid development of the industry and the increase in social impact, the government may consider adjusting the existing regulatory framework. Therefore, gambling companies that want to move to Armenia need to pay close attention to policy trends and be prepared for various changes that may occur.

Summary

As an emerging iGaming market, Armenia provides new opportunities and challenges for global gambling operators. Although its open policies and low-cost operating environment have attracted many companies, especially for the current ban on POGO in the Philippines, it is undeniable that Armenia has gradually become one of the potential locations for iGaming companies to relocate with its flexible regulatory environment and low-cost operating advantages. However, potential policy changes and market and other difficulties and uncertainties still need to be treated with caution; for example, there is a relative shortage of professional talents in the gambling industry, especially in marketing, customer service, and technical positions with rich industry experience. In addition, for gambling companies with cross-border business, issues such as infrastructure construction, international recruitment, and language barriers require companies to plan and respond in advance. Including the legal environment, technical infrastructure, market potential, etc.;

As the global gambling industry continues to expand, TC-Gaming collects and organizes the latest gambling industry news and information from time to time to understand the licensing policies and regulatory trends of various countries, helping gambling companies gain an advantage in the competition in the overseas international gambling market.

TC-Gaming helps customers build and operate iGaming platforms in 10 minutes through professional technical support and comprehensive white label iGaming solutions, providing a bridge for your gambling company to enter your target gaming market. At the same time, we provide multiple languages, with local designers and language experts to translate, allowing you to seamlessly enter the target overseas gaming market. I believe that TC-Gaming will be your best partner in gambling platform operations.