Saeima Committee Backs Latvia Gambling Age Increase to 21 and 21-Hour Online Daily Cap

Latvia will press ahead with plans to tighten gambling rules, setting up a parliamentary vote on enhanced player protections and new compliance orders on gambling licences.

The Saeima’s Budget and Finance Committee backed amendments to the Gambling and Lotteries Law following a deliberation on 21 October. The reforms have been attached to the agenda of the pending 15th Saeima, with no implementation date confirmed.

Core Elements of the Proposed Reforms

The proposals would raise the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21 and restrict retail lottery purchases to adults 21 and older. Gambling premises would face a mandatory shutdown between 6am and 9am. Online consumers would be restricted to 21 hours of gambling within any 24-hour period, tracked via continuous play across all online gambling licences.

A common verification standard will force operators to integrate a central system to identify and manage addiction risks, supported by personalised smartcards or equivalent technology. Further measures extend visitor registration beyond casinos, increase the minimum number of machines in gaming halls from 20 to 25, and introduce uniform rules for premises’ façades and signage.

These steps follow the absorption of the Lottery and Gambling Supervision Inspectorate into the State Revenue Service (SRS) earlier this year. Arvils Ašeradens, Finance Minister, announced the restructuring in September 2025 alongside plans for higher gambling duties from January 2026. Interactive gambling tax rises from 12% to 15%, betting and wagering duties from 15% to 18%, annual machine duties from €6,204 to €7,440, and duties on roulette, card and dice tables from €33,696 to €40,440.

The Decision Facing the New Saeima

The gambling reforms come amid political upheaval following the collapse of former prime minister Evika Siliņa’s government. Andris Kulbergs led the United List to victory in the 3 October 2026 election, emerging as the largest force but requiring coalition partners. The prior administration had ordered gambling reforms to conclude by 2026 to impose a framework of laws by 2027.

The Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for changes, backing individual risk monitoring but opposing the higher machine minimum, online time restriction and additional data requirements. Committee chair Aiva Vīksna acknowledged that the proposals need updating to reflect current market conditions. The incoming parliament must decide whether to carry the bill forward and how to balance stronger player protections with concerns over illegal gambling, as reported by SBC News.

The licensed sector now awaits clarity on which elements survive the transition and what operational adjustments will be required.

Reporting: SBC News

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