A laser beam generation control system of an optical mark reader device including a laser generating element, a laser generation control unit, a laser scanner unit for scanning a mark, such as a bar code or the like, and a signal processor unit for photoconverting a reflected light to read thereof; wherein the laser beam generation control unit turns ON/OFF the laser generation element by a predetermined duty to carry out a generation of the laser intermittently. Further, when a reflected light from the mark is detected during an intermittent generation of the laser beam, the laser generation element is turned ON to generate a laser beam continuously; and when a reflected light from the mark is not detected for more than a predetermined first time period during a continuous generation of a laser beam, the system is switched from continuous generation to intermittent generation.