Gambling business in Lithuania

Gambling in Lithuania had a challenging way of regulation. Till 2000, the government of Lithuania didn't regulate the gambling business. In 1990, when the state had only gained its independence, the authorities decided to allow gambling activities. Before 1990, it was banned in the USSR, like many other Baltic States.

After the gambling law entered into force, the government has started to cope with illegal betting offices and casinos. For this reason, the number of gambling establishments became lower.

Nowadays, if you want to start a casino in Lithuania, you have to make a payment of a $1.1 million license fee and get a license for an online casino from the government. These additional steps and costs led to increasing the number of casinos inside the country.

As far as concerned the players, so they must be at least 18 years old to use the gambling services. However, this is only related to bingo and lotteries. Players must not be aged lower than 21 years of age to visit gambling establishments or place a bet. Gambling activities are considered a priority in Lithuania and are regulated in its legislation. Many people say that this country is one of the best to conduct a gambling business.

It is worth noting that the authorities prohibit advertising casinos or gambling in general. This means no print ads or other kinds of advertisements. The only exception is sponsorships on sports teams. Small casinos violate this law, resulting in a huge fine for not adhering to this law.

Lithuania also has one of the largest self-exclusion lists in Europe. More than 4,000 residents have given up any form of gambling. This self-exclusion is considered an optional measure, and every casino must follow.

Concerning online gambling, Lithuania is a newbie in the regulation of this market. In 2016, the European Union forced the authorities in Lithuania to establish some type of infrastructure around online gambling in the country.

Obtaining a gambling license in Lithuania

If you want to run a gambling business in Lithuania, it is necessary to obtain a gambling license. Actually, everybody can be issued a license to open a casino in Lithuania. However, before getting a gambling license in this region, you need to follow the requirements:

• Availability of an office in Lithuania
• Enter into a partnership with a Lithuanian land-based establishment;
• Availability of minimum authorized capital of USD 1,800,000.

There are the following gambling activities that are permitted in Lithuania: online casinos, bingo (although this type is not demanded), poker (on the contrary, popular), sports betting (especially basketball), and lotteries.

Taxation

The tax depends on the type of gambling activity and varies from 5% to 15%.

In general, the Lithuanian gambling market is developing successfully and offers players and operators different opportunities.