Armenia moves to block unlicensed gambling sites via telecoms

Armenia's State Revenue Committee has put telecommunications operators at the center of a new enforcement push against unlicensed online gambling, according to state news agency Armenpress. The SRC is developing measures that would require telecoms companies to block access to gambling websites operating without a license in the country.

The reform package has not been finalized. No implementing legislation or regulatory text has been published, and Armenpress did not report a timeline for the measures to take effect.

The approach mirrors enforcement models adopted elsewhere in Europe, where regulators have shifted from pursuing operators directly to obligating internet service providers and telecoms firms to restrict access at the network level. That method reduces the technical burden on the regulator while placing compliance obligations on licensed domestic infrastructure.

Armenia's move comes as regulators across multiple jurisdictions reassess whether existing licensing frameworks are adequate to address the volume of unlicensed operators accessible to domestic consumers. The SRC has not disclosed how it would maintain or update a blocklist, or what penalties telecoms operators would face for non-compliance.