750 Million Dram Fine Imposed on Major Players in the Gambling Sector

The Competition Protection Commission has imposed a fine of 310,228,000 dram on companies including 'DigiTein', 'Toto Sport', and the 'Noah' Football Club, as well as a 430,474,000 dram fine on the group of companies 'Soft Contract', 'Fast Media', 'Fast Shift', and 'Imaging Hub By Soft'. This action was taken due to unfair competition, particularly for conducting umbrella advertising for gambling.

The Commission reports that, following investigations, it was found that 'DigiTein' and 'Soft Contract' used their trademarks in unlawful ways. Instances were recorded of these companies using similar trademarks and elements of their brand names to a degree that could cause confusion, facilitated by affiliated companies.

Specifically, the umbrella advertising was conducted through social media pages, posts by well-known individuals (influencers), advertising panels on payment terminals, and in feature films among other means. It is important to note that 'DigiTein' and 'Soft Contract' acknowledged their legal violations and cooperated with the Commission by providing significant data relevant to the investigations.

The companies have been given a one-month deadline to rectify the identified violations. It is worth reminding that the laws of the Republic of Armenia on 'Audiovisual Media' and 'Advertising' impose restrictions on advertising for gambling and lotteries.