Lithuania Begins Implementation of Gambling Reform Ahead of 2028 Ad Ban
Lithuania has begun enforcing key elements of its multi-year gambling reform, including new advertising restrictions, a higher legal gambling age, and stricter AML rules. The changes mark the start of a phased transition toward a near-total ban on gambling advertising by 2028.
Stricter Advertising Limits Now in Place
From 1 July 2025, licensed gambling operators in Lithuania face a sharp tightening of advertising freedoms. Under rules approved by the Seimas last November, gambling brands can now be promoted only on licensed premises or official websites. Broader marketing, including digital campaigns, broadcast media, and event sponsorships, is now subject to heavy restrictions.
Television ads are capped at two or three brief 15-second spots per hour, with timing restrictions that favour afternoon and evening hours. Online promotion has been further curbed: pop-up ads and direct links to betting platforms are explicitly prohibited.
These changes are seen as a prelude to a full-scale advertising blackout, scheduled for 1 January 2028. If implemented as planned, Lithuania will become one of the most restrictive jurisdictions in the EU when it comes to gambling marketing.
Higher Age Limit and New Player Protections
Regulators are also raising the bar on consumer protections. Starting July 2025, the legal gambling age will increase from 18 to 21, although national lotteries are exempt from this change.
Operators will need to enhance player safety measures, including behavioural monitoring tools, deposit limit systems, and mandatory intervention training for frontline staff. These reforms form part of a broader effort to strengthen harm prevention standards and bring Lithuania’s rules in line with other regulated EU markets.
Earlier this year, the Seimas also introduced anti-money laundering provisions aimed at stemming financial flows to unlicensed gambling sites. As of January 2025, all banks operating under a Lithuanian licence — domestic and foreign — must monitor gambling-related transactions and report suspicious activity to the national regulator, the Gambling Control Authority (LPT).
Banks are required to block payments to blacklisted operators within 24 hours of receiving a notice from the LPT. Fines of up to €6,000 apply for non-compliance, with repeat offenders facing significantly higher penalties.
To aid enforcement, the LPT has been granted broader supervisory powers, including the authority to issue fines of up to €700,000 for serious regulatory breaches.
Transitional Support for Media and Uncertain Tax Plans
Acknowledging the potential financial fallout from restricted gambling ad revenues, the Lithuanian government has allocated a €4 million transition fund to support media outlets and broadcasters expected to be hit hardest by the policy shift.
Meanwhile, the future tax structure for the sector remains unclear. The Ministry of Finance has yet to confirm whether a proposed 22% tax on income from slot machines and online games will be introduced — a measure that could materially affect the economics of digital gambling operations in the country.
The government submitted its full legislative package to the European Council in May 2025, giving operators formal notice to prepare for sweeping compliance changes.
By 2028, Lithuania aims to present a gambling framework that not only eliminates illegal activity and protects consumers, but also positions itself as one of the most tightly controlled markets in the European Union.