Macedonia to set up online gambling monopoly
Government to hold majority stake in State Video Lottery, authorities will also block international sites
The Macedonian government has announced it is setting up a state-owned online gaming monopoly in order to stem the flow of money being staked at soon-to-be banned foreign-owned sites.
State Video Lottery (SVL) will be 51% government-owned while Austrian gambling company Austria Casino has been selected to manage the operation and will hold the remaining 49%.
The private company will invest 6m to establish SVL ahead of its expected launch later this year, at which point the government will begin to block access to all international gambling sites.
“With the start of games organized by the SVL, institutions such as the Electronic Communications Agency and the Information Society Ministry will disable internet gambling and betting on world websites for players at home,” Aleksandar Gjorgiev, Macedonia’s government spokesman, said.
“Macedonia, through the State Lottery, will not have any financial cost with respect to implementing the project, instead it will transfer the right to the organization of games of chance,” he added.
According to the spokesman, the new entity, which will feature lottery and casino games, will generate additional government funds which can then be invested in areas such as healthcare, the environment and socially vulnerable citizens.
Last year, Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding with fellow former Yugoslav countries Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in an attempt to combat illegal gambling.