Online gambling will be banned in Albania as of January 1 under a government drive to battle gambling addiction and discourage match fixing in sports contests.
The new law will also force the closure of slot machine parlors and betting shops in residential areas. Beginning in the new year, gambling operations will be restricted to designated tourist areas or outside of towns and cities.
The country will continue to operate its national lottery, but all other online gambling will be illegal.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said a special task force would be set up to shut down any online gambling sites that continue to operate in the country.
“They might keep changing sites, and we’ll keep shutting them down,” he said according to Reuters.
Representatives of sports betting companies have said they will seek to fight the ban.
According to Reuters, Rama has led a campaign against gambling in Albania since his socialist party came into power five years ago. Some 1,300 betting premises had undergone inspections, with many being closed down due to allegations of financial mismanagement.
