Online gambling in the Baltics: the experience of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia

Online gambling in the Baltics: the experience of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia (full text)

💡 Status as of October 17, 2025.

1) Region framework: what's in common

Baltic countries apply national licenses, mandatory identification of players, developed self-control tools (limits, timeouts, self-exclusion) and active enforcement against unlicensed ones. com (up to payment blocks and domains). The differences are in the details of advertising and tax rates.

2) Latvia

Regulator and base. Responsible for supervision are Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection (IAUI); the institution maintains registers, advertising control and compliance with the law on lotteries and gambling.

Self-exclusion. There is a national register of self-excluded players (Register of self-excluded persons): the ban applies to both online and offline, the minimum period is 12 months.

Age. In 2024-2025 the government promoted raising the minimum age from 18 to 21 (package of amendments); the initiative was approved by the Cabinet and transferred to the Seimas.

What is allowed online. Licensed interactive casino games, poker and betting from Latvian operators at full KYC/AML.

Advertising. Strictly limited (tone, channels, warnings). IAUI maintains clarifications and enforcement statistics.

Taxes (operators).

Interactive Games: 12% GGR effective rate, scheduled to rise to 15% GGR on January 1, 2026 (package accelerated by government); fixed fees on machines and tables are also increasing.

3) Lithuania

Regulator and base. Gaming Control Authority (Lošimų priežiūros tarnyba, LPT) under the Ministry of Finance - licensing, supervision, RG/AML, included with the register of restrictions.

Self-exclusion. Gambling Restriction Register (LAR): You can apply online; minimum term - 6 months.

What is allowed online. Casino games, poker and betting with operators with a Lithuanian license; mandatory KYC before playing for money.

Advertising and payments.

From July 1, 2025 - the ban on external and other "external" advertising (part of the course towards phased tightening until 2028).

From January 2025, banks are required to block payments in favor of unlicensed operators.

Taxes (operators).

From 2025, the base gross gaming income (GGR) tax rate is 22% for most products (including remote gambling), instead of the previous 20%.

4) Estonia

Regulator and base. Licensing and control is carried out by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA); two-stage permission: license to operate + separate permissions for organized games.

Self-exclusion. HAMPI National List (hasartmängu piiranguga isikute nimekiri): issue via e-MTA; the operator is obliged to check and block access to the excluded.

Age. 21 + for casino games (games of chance/skill), 18 + for toto/betting.

What is allowed online. Licensed casino games, poker and betting; KYC, limits, access to HAMPI are required.

Taxes (operators).

Remote gambling: from 2024 tax 6% GGR; growth was approved to 7% from 2026 (amid a package of adjustments).

5) Comparison: key differences

Parameter	Latvia	Lithuania	Estonia
Regulator	IAUI	LPT (Gaming Control Authority)	EMTA
Self-exception	Nat. register; minimum 12 months	LAR; minimum 6 months	HAMPI via e-MTA
Age	To increase to 21 + (bill)	18 + (casino offline ~ 21; see local rules)	21 + casinos, 18 + bets
Advertizing	Rigid framework and control	FROM 01. 07. 2025 - external advertising ban	Limited, with RG warnings
Online taxes (operator)	12% GGR → 15% from 2026	22% GGR from 2025	6% GGR, 7% from 2026

6) What does this mean for the operator

1. License and substance. Prepare local structure, RG/AML compliance, content certification, and logs. Estonia - two-stage EMTA model; Lithuania - LPT licenses; Latvia - national licenses of IAUI.

2. RG integrations. Connection to self-excluded registers: Latvia self-excluded register, LAR, HAMPI. Early intervention procedures, limits and timeouts are "default."

3. Marketing compliance. In Lithuania - a new wave of advertising restrictions; in Latvia and Estonia - strict tone/channels and warnings; affiliate control is mandatory.

4. Finmodel. Recalculate margin/RTP/bonuses under 22% GGR (LT), 12%→15% (LV) and 6%→7% (EE); pledge KYC/AML costs, reporting and payment locks to gray sites.

7) What it means for the player

Play only with locally licensed operators - this is how limits, self-exclusion and payment protection work.

Set personal limits (deposit/time/loss) immediately upon registration.

Know the terms of self-exclusion: 12 months. in Latvia; 6 months + in Lithuania; in Estonia - configuration via e-MTA (HAMPI).

Watch out. com without a local license - in Lithuania since 2025, the blocking of payments to such sites has been strengthened.

8) FAQ

Is it legal to play online in the Baltics?

Yes - for operators with national licenses: IAUI (LV), LPT (LT), EMTA (EE).

How are self-exclusion registries different?

In Latvia - a single register with a minimum of 12 months; in Lithuania - LAR with a minimum of 6 months; in Estonia - HAMPI via e-MTA.

What are the key tax rates for 2025-2026?

LT: 22% GGR from 2025; LV: 12% GGR (online) with 15% target from 2026; EE: 6% GGR and 7% from 2026.

Are there new ad restrictions?

In Lithuania - from July 1, 2025, external advertising is prohibited; in Latvia/Estonia - strict framework and supervision apply.

Baltic is a rigid but predictable regulation: transparent licenses, working registers of self-exclusion and understandable tax rules. Lithuania is going to further tighten advertising and block payments to "gray" sites; Latvia raises GGR rates and revises age; Estonia supports the technical market with HAMPI and moderate GGR load. For operators, this is a market about compliance and a neat economy; for players - a legal and secure environment with real self-control tools.