Officials urge banks to block transactions
Lithuania’s Gaming Control Authority has announced it will enforce new rules barring unlicensed online operators, in keeping with amendments to the country’s gaming laws enacted in January.
In the pre-regulation era, Lithuania saw a proliferation of illegal gaming websites operated by major players like William Hill, Betway and Unibet, according to the website Yogonet.com. A statutory framework for gaming and lotteries has been in place for years, but it did not address online gaming until now, hence the growth of unregulated sites.
Now operators must not only be authorized by the Gambling Control Authority, but those in the European Union and European Economic Area must also open land-based venues in the country within two years of their licensure. Lithuania’s online gambling regulations, which are similar to those in Belgium, impose other strict measures as well, such as prohibiting operators to offer gifts and other incentives to players and banning the advertising of competitions outside land-based establishments or even on websites.
The government will urge internet providers to block payments associated with illegal domains. Currently, the list includes 85 websites. More will be added soon, GCA Director Virginijus Dauksis said.
