Betting shops 80 meters apart - amendment to the Law on Games of Chance submitted

New Serbian Democracy (NSD) MPs Vaso Obradović i Milica Rondović They proposed an amendment to the Law on Games of Chance, which stipulates that the distance between facilities where games of chance are organized cannot be less than 80 meters.

Amendments to this law are in the parliamentary procedure.

The distance represents the straight line path between the entrances of two facilities where lottery games of chance and/or special games of chance are organized. The distance restriction does not apply to facilities for which the organizer had a permit to organize special games of chance, before the entry into force of this provision.

"The proposed amendment to the Proposal on Amendments to the Law on Games of Chance is necessary to improve the social environment and prevent the negative impacts of the gaming industry on youth and the local population, through a new legal restriction that would ensure a medium-term reduction in the negative effects on the population produced by this industry."

The “Parents” association informed the public this spring that, following an initiative by a group of parents, the non-governmental association “Oči Podgorice” had sent a proposal to the Ministry of Finance to amend the Law on Games of Chance to additionally regulate the issue of the distance between facilities for games of chance. In addition to the already defined distance from educational institutions, they propose that part of the legal solution also include an article stipulating that the distance between facilities where lottery games of chance and special games of chance are organized cannot be less than 80 meters.

"If this provision satisfies the postulates listed below, we see no justified reason not to implement it through amendments to the Law, because it is fully consistent with other provisions of the law, but also does not threaten the economic continuity of any economic entity. The proposed solution should stipulate that the distance between facilities where lottery games of chance and special games of chance are organized cannot be less than 80 meters (and it is desirable to increase this distance)," stated the NGO "Eyes of Podgorica".

The distance, they added, represents the straight-line path between the entrances of two facilities where lottery games of chance and/or special games of chance are organized. They also propose that the distance restriction not apply to locations where the organizer had an approval (or concession) for organizing special games of chance on slot machines, or for organizing special games of chance – betting, before the entry into force of this provision.