Azerbaijan lawmakers clear first reading of gambling penalty bill
Azerbaijan has taken a big step toward tightening state control over illegal online gambling. Reportedly, the lawmakers approved the first reading of a bill that would almost double the penalties for those organising or operating unlicenced gambling activities.
The proposed amendments, discussed during a special session of the National Assembly (Milli Majlis), focus primarily on illegal gambling conducted through digital channels, including websites, mobile applications, social media platforms and other electronic communication services.
If approved, the legislation would introduce tougher financial penalties, longer prison sentences and stricter punishments for offences involving minors, organised crime groups and repeat offenders.
No more fixed fines
One of the biggest changes in the draft law concerns how financial penalties would be calculated. Under the current Criminal Code, individuals found guilty of organising illegal gambling can face fixed fines ranging from AZN10,000 ($5,880) to AZN15,000 ($8,820).
The proposed amendments would replace those fixed penalties with income-based fines, allowing courts to impose fines of up to twice the amount earned through the illegal gambling activity. According to the document, gambling committed:
- In any digital form, be it on the internet, mobile communications, social media platforms, or other electronic communication means
- Or by allowing minors to participate in gambling
- Or with a group of persons through conspiracy
The extraction of significant income will be punishable by a fine of up to twice the amount of income obtained as a result of the crime, or restriction of freedom for a term of 2 to 4 years, or imprisonment for the same term.
Lawmakers believe this approach would better reflect the scale of each offence and reduce the financial incentive for operating illegal gambling businesses. For cases involving organised criminal groups or large-scale profits, offenders could face a restriction of liberty or a prison sentence ranging from three to five years.
Imprisonment for repeated offences
Repeat offenders would face some of the toughest measures under the proposed reforms. Current legislation allows repeated gambling-related offences to be punished with restriction of liberty for four to five years or imprisonment for four to eight years.
Under the new proposal, repeat offences would instead carry mandatory prison terms of five to eight years, removing the option of non-custodial punishment.
The reforms are part of Azerbaijan’s effort to strengthen enforcement against illegal online gambling, which authorities increasingly view as a challenge due to the rapid growth of internet-based gambling platforms and digital payment systems.
Separate draft amendments being considered would also tighten administrative penalties for people participating in illegal gambling. These proposals include higher fines for repeat offenders, possible confiscation of gambling equipment and winnings, and, in some cases, administrative detention of up to 15 days.
The legislative package has now cleared its first parliamentary hurdle and will move to additional readings before becoming law. If approved, the reforms will be one of Azerbaijan’s major amendments to its gambling-related criminal legislation in recent years.
The proposals also signal a shift toward stronger financial enforcement, with penalties tied directly to profits generated by illegal gambling rather than to fixed monetary fines. These changes can substantially increase both the financial and criminal risks for engaging in or even running unlicenced gambling services in the country.
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