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At Thursday’s sitting, the Riigikogu approved with 89 votes in favour (1 abstention) the Act on Amendments to the Gambling Act, which creates the possibility for perpetrators of betting frauds to be punished pursuant to criminal procedure.

An example of betting fraud is a case where athletes, coaches or referees bet on a previously agreed result, like the victory of opponents, and try to deliberately lose. On the basis of judicial practice, today such frauds are punishable only under misdemeanour procedure. The Act introduces amendments to the necessary elements of a misdemeanour, and provides that misdemeanour proceedings are applied only in the cases when the necessary elements of fraud provided for in the Penal Code are not present.

Besides, the Act restores the possibility to organise lotteries with a prize pool of up to 1000 euro more frequently than once a week on board ships carrying out passenger transport in international shipping under the Estonian flag.

The amendment was necessary because, as of 1 January this year, the provision of the Gambling Act entered into force that allows organisation of lotteries with a prize pool of less than 1000 euro only once a week.

The Act also prohibits organisation of toto, that is, a betting in which the results of the lottery are bet on.

The Act on Amendments to the Gambling Act (260 SE), initiated by the Government, enters into force on the tenth day following the date of publication in the Riigi Teataja.

In connection with suspension of the mandate of Member of the Riigikogu Urve Palo and her appointment as a member of the Government of the Republic, Liisa Oviir took her oath of office as a member of the Riigikogu at the beginning of the sitting. Due to Vladimir Arhipov’s resignation, Marko Shorin took his oath of office and assumed membership of the Riigikogu as of today.

Photos

Video recordings of the sittings of the Riigikogu can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/riigikogu

(NB! The recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Riigikogu Press Service
Kati Varblane
T: 631 6353, 516 9152
[email protected]
Questions: [email protected]

 

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