Latvia committee backs gambling reforms raising age to 21 and new limits

Latvia's Budget and Finance Committee has backed amendments to the country's Gambling and Lotteries Law that would raise the minimum gambling age to 21, introduce mandatory shutdown periods for gaming venues and cap online play at 21 hours within any 24-hour period. The committee recommended the package for a first parliamentary reading; the incoming 15th Saeima, which takes office on 3 November 2026, will decide whether to continue the legislative process.

Core provisions approved by the committee

The committee-supported text would increase the legal gambling age from 18 to 21 for both land-based and online gambling, while lottery products would remain available from age 18. Gaming halls would be required to close between 06:00 and 09:00, with betting and totalisator services exempt from that shutdown window. Online customers would be limited to a maximum of 21 hours of gambling within any 24-hour period; the cap is calculated as total play time across multiple sessions rather than per login.

The proposals also envisage a centralised player verification and monitoring system. Under that scheme, customers would use personalised smart cards or similar technology when accessing certain gambling products, allowing operators to monitor playing time and financial behaviour and to impose restrictions where monitoring indicates elevated addiction risk. Online operators would be required to transmit real-time data to a central supervisory platform.

Other operational changes in the draft include extending visitor registration obligations beyond casinos, increasing the retention period for security camera recordings from 7 days to 30 days, and raising the minimum number of slot machines per gambling hall from 20 to 25. The draft would standardise the appearance and signage of gambling premises.

Timeline, administrative changes and fiscal context

The bill was first submitted in 2024 and was approved by cabinet in 2024, but several proposed commencement dates have passed and some elements of the regulatory framework have already been modified. No target date for implementation is set in the committee recommendation. The Budget and Finance Committee sent the package forward for a first reading; the incoming 15th Saeima must decide whether to amend and advance the bill when it sits from 3 November 2026.

In April 2026, Latvia's Lottery and Gambling Supervision Inspectorate was disbanded and its oversight responsibilities were transferred to the State Revenue Service. Separately, the country has increased gaming taxes: interactive gambling tax rose from 12% to 15%, and betting and wagering duty increased from 15% to 18%.

Industry reaction and estimated impacts

Industry groups have warned of significant economic consequences if the proposals are enacted unchanged. The Latvia Licensed Gambling Association estimates that raising the minimum machine requirement to 25 could force around 30 of Latvia's 162 gaming halls to close, put 240 jobs at risk and reduce annual gambling tax revenue by €4.46m.

Industry representatives also point to the size of the unregulated market as a potential outcome of tighter rules. The association estimates Latvia's illegal online gambling market generates approximately €62m in revenue, compared with around €170m for licensed operators. The Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has publicly opposed the proposed 21-hour online cap and the expanded reporting obligations.

"Tighter restrictions may push more players towards unlicensed offshore gambling sites," the Latvia Licensed Gambling Association said in its estimate, citing potential closures and job losses.

What happens next

The Budget and Finance Committee's recommendation moves the text to its first reading in the Saeima, but the incoming parliament must decide whether to continue the process and which provisions to amend. Lawmakers on the committee acknowledged that parts of the bill submitted in 2024 may need updating to reflect market developments, and several commencement dates set under earlier drafts have lapsed.

If the Saeima advances the bill, any implementation timetable and commencement dates would be set at later stages of the legislative process. The proposal continues to be debated between policymakers citing consumer-protection aims and industry groups warning of economic effects and migration of players to unlicensed operators.

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