Latvia resumes gambling reform package with minimum age raised to 21
Budget committee backed key amendments in principle on 21 Oct; no effective date set
Key Takeaways
- The Budget and Finance Committee advanced the gambling reform package and endorsed the amendments in principle on 21 October.
- The proposal raises the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21 and bans retail lottery purchases by under-18s.
- Venues would have to suspend operations between 06:00 and 09:00 and online play would be limited to 21 hours per 24-hour period.
- Video retention would rise from 7 days to at least 30 days and the minimum machines per venue would be set at 20–25.
- The licensed operators association warned of about 30 venue closures, 240 jobs at risk and a €4.46 million annual tax shortfall.
The Budget and Finance Committee of Latvia advanced a gambling reform package in principle on 21 October that raises the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21 and tightens player monitoring requirements. The committee endorsed the amendments in principle more than two years after the government-backed bill was referred to it on 26 September 2024; no date of entry into force has been set and remaining work is to be left to the next parliament, Miguel Sandoval reporting.
Proposed changes
The bill proposes several measures that would affect operators and players, including provisions relevant to both land-based and online businesses; operators are affected directly and some measures touch online access [/b2b](/b2b), retail and monitoring [/casino](/casino).
Raise the legal age from 18 to 21 years to participate in gambling activities.
Prohibit the purchase of retail lottery tickets by persons under 18 years of age.
Require gambling venues to suspend operations between 06:00 and 09:00.
Limit online gambling to 21 hours within any 24-hour period, whether in a single session or across multiple sessions.
Extend visitor registration and increase retention of video recordings from 7 days to at least 30 days.
Increase the minimum number of machines per venue to 20-25.
Economic impact and parliamentary process
The licensed operators association in Latvia warned that increasing the minimum machines per venue could force the closure of approximately 30 venues, jeopardise 240 jobs and reduce annual tax receipts by about €4.46 million. The association has requested revisions, arguing that player behaviour and the market have changed since the legislative process began in 2019.
The package is not law until the legislation is enacted and enters into force. The next legislature, the 15th Saeima, will decide which provisions progress, which are amended and which, if any, are discarded. With the bill now in the hands of the new parliament, the final shape of Latvia’s gambling regulatory framework remains to be determined. For parliamentary procedure and timelines see the [regulatory process](/regulation).
"The amendments were endorsed in principle on 21 October," the committee said in its resolution, according to the parliamentary record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who introduced the gambling reform package in Latvia?
The Budget and Finance Committee introduced and endorsed the reform package in principle on 21 October; the bill had been referred to the committee on 26 September 2024.
What minimum age does the reform propose for gambling in Latvia?
The reform proposes raising the legal gambling age from 18 to 21 years and also prohibits persons under 18 from purchasing retail lottery tickets.
What time and monitoring restrictions are included in the package?
The package requires venues to suspend operations between 06:00 and 09:00, limits online gambling to 21 hours in any 24-hour period, and increases video recording retention from 7 days to at least 30 days.
What is the possible economic impact according to operators?
The licensed operators association said the measures could close about 30 venues, put 240 jobs at risk and reduce annual tax revenues by around €4.46 million.
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About the author
Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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