The Ministry of Finance of Lithuania has put forward plans to introduce a ‘mandatory gambler’s card’ to provide the government with a direct view of citizens’ engagement with gambling operators.
The proposal has been backed by Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas, who hopes the measure will be incorporated into Lithuania’s ongoing plans to launch a new gambling regime by 2028.
Under plans outlined by Vaitiekūnas, the gambler’s card will be the key provision of a new centralised monitoring system, which will analyse how Lithuanian consumers engage with the eight licensees permitted by the Gambling Control Authority (LPT).
Vaitiekūnas views the card as a definitive measure to close all loopholes and ensure compliance with laws in place since 2025.
“A gambler’s card is a common profile that would exist in the information system, and all gambling companies would have that information, would know what gambling limit a person has reached, and would stop them from gambling further,” Vaitiekūnas said, outlining the core objective of the reform.
In 2024, the Seimas began implementing the first resolution on Lithuania’s gambling regulations.
The mandate began with the increase in the legal gambling age from 18 to 21, effective 1 January 2025, followed by sweeping restrictions on advertising across digital, broadcast, and sponsorship channels.
The Ministry of Finance believes that responsible gambling tools are discretionary measures to control gambling risks, as players are allowed to set limits with individual operators, but these limits are not imposed comprehensively. The gambler’s card seeks to eliminate a clear gap by enforcing limits universally.
The central registry will be operated by a dedicated ‘Gambling Supervision Service’, to provide real-time data on player activity, including deposits, losses, and winnings, ensuring that once a limit is reached, further gambling is blocked across all licensed platforms.
The measure is part of a wider package of structural reforms, particularly in the area of anti-money laundering.
As of 2026, all banks licensed by the Bank of Lithuania must monitor gambling-related transactions and report suspicious activity to the LPT.
Financial institutions are also required to block payments to black-listed operators within 24 hours of receiving regulatory instructions. Non-compliance carries fines of up to €6,000, with repeat breaches subject to higher penalties.
Together, these measures form part of a coordinated regulatory reset aimed at strengthening consumer protection while curbing the influence of unlicensed operators.
Implementation will follow a phased timeline. Initial regulatory changes are scheduled to take effect from May 2027, with full deployment of the gambler’s card system planned for 2029. The transition period is intended to give operators time to adapt to new compliance and technical requirements.
However, the proposal has drawn a cautious response. While there is broad support for enhanced responsible gambling measures, concerns persist over the cost and complexity of implementing a centralised system, as well as questions over whether the Ministry of Finance’s proposal may infringe on civil liberties.
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