Lithuanian Parliament Approves Increase in Gambling and Lottery Tax
The Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, has passed an amendment to the Law on Lottery and Gambling Tax, resulting in a two per cent increase in the tax rate.
Government’s Perspective
This amendment, supported by 72 MPs, will come into effect in 2025, raising the tax rate for slot machines, table games, bingo, betting, and remote gambling from 20% to 22%.
Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė commented on the tax hike, suggesting that it should not significantly impact the sector’s competitiveness. The government anticipates that the increased tax rate will generate an additional €4.4 million for the state budget.
Industry Concerns
Despite the government’s optimistic outlook, Liutauras Ulevičius, President of the National Association of Gambling and Gaming Business in Lithuania, expressed concerns that the tax increase could force some of the eight affected operators to cease operations.
The gambling sector in Lithuania has shown robust performance, with the gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the 12 operating companies reaching €222.2 million, marking a 13.5% increase from 2022.
