Lithuania advances with full gambling overhaul, tightening ad restrictions, raising the legal gambling age, and expanding oversight.The gambling reforms, effective from...
Lithuania introduces new restrictions on gambling ads
The Lithuanian Gambling Authority restricts gambling advertising from July 1, 2025. The measures, approved last year, ban all external gambling ads.
The new restrictions include a complete ban on using brand logos, apart from on gambling operators’ own headquarters and at gambling venues. Casino operators can still sponsor sports events, organizations, broadcasts, athletes, cultural or artistic events, but their names can’t be displayed on sports club shirts or leagues.
TV, radio, and online ads can’t be longer than 15 seconds, must not be shown more than 3 times an hour between 6 am and 6 pm, or more than 2 times an hour between 8 pm and midnight. Online betting ads can’t be linked to betting websites.
The new restrictions are just the beginning. These are the first phase in a transition to a complete ban on gambling ads by 2028. Sandra Vitkevičiūtę, an advisor at the gambling regulator, said the aim was to “reduce access to gambling and the harm it causes to society.”
On July 1st, a new minimum gambling age was introduced in Lithuania. The age limit was raised from 18 to 21 for all products except for national lottery draws. This brings online gambling in line with land-based casinos.
At the same time, other measures require all gambling venues to have dedicated staff at all times to intervene in cases of irresponsible gambling behaviors. The staff must intervene when risky gambling is identified, suspending the player for 48 hours if it’s necessary.
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is taking stronger action to combat illegal gambling by restricting credit and debit card payments to all those gambling...
