EGBA Demands Ban on Payments for Illegal Gambling Sites

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has lodged a formal complaint with Lithuania's central bank, the Bank of Lithuania, targeting Walletto, a Lithuanian payment service provider. The allegation focuses on Walletto's purported role in facilitating payments for illegal online gambling operations, highlighting a more extensive issue within Europe's payment chain.

Complaint Against Walletto

On July 10, 2026, EGBA filed this complaint following an investigation into illegal gambling platforms targeting European consumers. Test transactions revealed that Walletto’s services were allegedly utilized to process deposits on several of these illegal platforms. The issue is symptomatic of a larger systemic risk within the payment processing ecosystem.

Illegal gambling operators critically depend on mainstream payment methods and card networks, much like legally compliant operators. The uninterrupted flow of these transactions enables such operators to bypass EU licensing requirements and regulatory oversight, ultimately putting consumers at risk.

The Broader Payment Chain Problem

A significant vulnerability exists across the payment service provider landscape, along with acquirers and card networks, allowing illegal operators to remain operational. Addressing this requires collaboration among policymakers, financial authorities, gambling regulators, and payment facilitators.

Card schemes hold a pivotal position due to their governance of the network rules and their access to detailed transaction data. Therefore, EGBA calls for these schemes to act decisively in preventing the facilitation of transactions for illegal gambling entities.

Regulatory and Industry Collaborative Efforts

In the wake of these revelations, EGBA emphasizes enforcing existing regulations such as the EU's Payment Services Directive and anti-money laundering laws rigorously. These frameworks are instrumental in intercepting payment flows to illegal operators.

EGBA’s Secretary General, Maarten Haijer, stated:

“Payment providers should not be allowed to process transactions for illegal gambling operators. Illegal operators flourish by exploiting legitimate financial channels and the mainstream payment networks that consumers rely on every day.”

He stressed that the aim is to sever these channels and restrict their operations within the EU gaming market.

Enhancing Consumer Protection

Illegal gambling platforms lack essential consumer protections mandated for regulated operators. This includes robust identity verification processes, safer gambling tools, and anti-money laundering measures. The absence of such mechanisms allows easy access to these platforms for minors and self-excluded individuals, thus heightening consumer risks.

The EGBA aims to create an environment where the payment channels associated with these illegal operators are blocked, ensuring the protection and integrity of the European gaming market.

Future Directions and Expectations

EGBA persists in urging coordinated action across the payment chain. By pressuring card schemes and payment service providers, the association continues its mission to eradicate illegal operators from Europe's online gambling industry, safeguarding both the market's regulatory integrity and consumer interests.

For more details on similar initiatives, visit the Europe's online gambling regulation category on our website.