Lithuania continues its overhaul of gambling legislation, applying reforms and restrictions that will establish a new gambling regime by 2028.
As approved by the Seimas (Parliament) in November 2024, Lithuania will begin another phase of its ‘gradual implementation’ to overhaul gambling laws from 1 July onwards.
Operators will face sweeping curbs on advertising activities as the promotion of brands will be limited to licensed premises and official websites, with all broader marketing channels including digital, broadcast and event sponsorships brought under strict control.
Television and media promotions are capped at two or three short 15-second slots per hour, with advertising coverage dependent on the time of day (afternoon or evening). Online -pop-up adverts and direct links to betting platforms are explicitly banned.
The controls are viewed as a precursor to a full advertising blackout that is set to be applied from 1 January 2028, when Lithuania will enforce one of the EU’s most stringent bans on gambling advertising.
Alongside marketing restrictions, from 1 July the legal gambling age will rise from 18 to 21 from July 2025, with the exception of national lottery draws. Licensed operators will also be required to strengthen player protection measures, including behavioural monitoring systems, deposit limits, and mandatory intervention training for frontline staff.
In January, the Seimas approved a separate set of anti-money laundering (AML) provisions targeting financial flows to illegal gambling sites. Under the new framework, all banks licensed by the Bank of Lithuania whether domestic or foreign must monitor gambling-related transactions and report suspicious activity to the national regulator, the Gambling Control Authority (LPT).
Critically, the rules require banks to block payments to blacklisted gambling sites within 24 hours of receiving a directive from the LPT. Failure to comply can lead to fines of up to €6,000, with repeat breaches attracting the highest penalties.
To support enforcement, the LPT has been granted extended supervisory powers, including the right to impose fines of up to €700,000 for serious regulatory violations. In anticipation of advertising revenue losses across the media sector, the government has established a €4m transition fund to support affected publishers and broadcasters.
Operators were formally warned to prepare for sweeping compliance adjustments when the government submitted its legislative reform package to the European Council for review in May 2025.
Meanwhile, uncertainty lingers around the sector’s fiscal outlook. The Minister of Finance has yet to confirm whether Lithuania will proceed with plans to introduce a 22% tax on gambling income from slot machines and online games — a move that could significantly reshape the economics of the country’s digital gambling market.
The Seimas has underscored its determination to drive out illegal operators, protect consumers, and reshape the country’s gambling industry through a robust regulatory framework aligned with other EU nations.
