The Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget approved several amendments to the draft law on gambling aimed at regulating the distance of betting shops from educational institutions and restricting advertising of gambling services.
According to Finance Minister Novica Vuković, advertising of gambling promotions will be prohibited except on official websites and pages of sports clubs or associations sponsored by the gambling operators.
Gambling ads will not be allowed on TV and radio except between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. In print media, advertisements can only appear in sports sections, while online ads will be limited to sports portals and sports sections of other websites. Gambling venues must be located at least 150 meters away from all educational institutions, including schools and dormitories. An amendment proposed by PES MPs Seid Hadžići and Tonći Janović suggests extending this restriction to include kindergartens.
The Ministry of Finance will further define rules regarding outdoor advertising and the external appearance of gambling venues. The Committee also recommended that gambling revenues be directed toward healthcare, sports, humanitarian efforts, and combating addiction.
In response to the proposed amendment to include kindergartens in the 150-meter distance rule, Montenegro’s Group of Gambling Operators announced protests if the measure is adopted. They argue that the distribution of preschools in Montenegro would effectively prevent businesses from operating under such restrictive conditions.
The Group stated that extending these restrictions to preschools would amount to a de facto ban on gambling operations in Montenegro, harming thousands of people employed directly or indirectly in the sector. They also pointed out that such a restriction is not present in other European legal systems and violates constitutional principles guaranteeing freedom of economic activity. According to them, the amendment contradicts Montenegro’s constitution, which supports a free and open market economy, entrepreneurship, and competition. They argue that such limitations are only justified if public health, safety, national defense, or the environment are at risk.
They warned that if adopted, gambling might be forced “into forests and mountains,” making operations extremely difficult.
