This year the Ministry of Finance of Armenia has tightened control over the gambling industry, Minister Tigran Davtyan told a press conference on Oct. 4. This January-September, gambling operators have paid fines eight times as much as in 2008, Davtyan said.

According to the information on the ministry’s official website, the gambling industry paid 21.4m AMD (about U.S. $58,000) fines this January-September. Gambling operators paid fines totaling 11.2m AMD (about U.S. $30,000). Lottery holders paid 0.6m AMD (about U.S. $1,600) fines, and gambling houses 9.6m AMD (about U.S. $26,000) fines.