While the Ministry of Finance justifies the need for changes to the Personal Income Tax Act and the introduction of a 15% tax on all winnings by reducing the problem of underage gambling, the reality shows that Montenegro Bet member companies have been pioneers in the prevention of gambling addiction for more than a decade. .
Thanks to proactive measures, which are behind us in the period, but are still being carried out on their own initiative today (let's not forget the time when they were still not a legal obligation), Montenegro is today at the very bottom of the list of countries in terms of the number of people addicted to games of chance - which is a huge success for the gaming industry and society as a whole.
Cooperation with Kakaricka gora as an example of responsible prevention
This success is the result of continuous work with institutions such as Kakaricka Gora, as well as through regional cooperation programs with the Institute for Public Health Batut in Serbia, which developed a methodology for addiction prevention and the implementation of appropriate training and prevention measures. Montenegro, following these examples, managed to adopt the best practices and show outstanding results.
Income tax will certainly lead to the opposite effects
The announced introduction of a tax on winnings from games of chance, which foresees a 15% taxation on all winnings, will not only not solve the problem of addiction, but will further worsen it. As the example of Albania shows, such measures as a rule lead to a real explosion of illegal betting, which is directly related to the jump in underage gambling. When players, due to an unattractive offer due to a tax burden such as the proposed one, switch to illegal sites, effective control disappears, public revenues decrease and multiple social risks (underage gambling, crime, etc.) increase dramatically. Therefore, the adoption of such a bill is a de facto opening of the door to the illegal market and an increase in the number of minors who will become addicted to gambling.
Montenegro Bet's preventive measures have been producing results for years
Members of Montenegro Bet have been implementing preventive measures for years, which have proven to be extremely successful in protecting young and sensitive groups from the negative effects of games of chance. Their campaigns and education programs aimed at responsible gaming have already brought significant results, which is confirmed by the data showing the low level of addiction in Montenegro compared to other countries.
Instead of introducing not only disincentive but also extremely counterproductive measures such as tax on winnings, which will only increase the number of addicts on the black market, the solution to this very important social problem is to continue and further improve the existing proactive initiatives of legal organizers of games of chance, with a sustainable taxation model .
Montenegro Bet appeals to state authorities that, when it comes to games of chance, the priority should be the protection of citizens, and not their exposure to additional risks and tax levies. The legislator must recognize the efforts that organizers have already made in addiction prevention and responsible gaming, and avoid moves that could have a counterproductive effect.
