Lithuania Moves to Tackle Surge in Illegal Online Gambling
Senior Lithuanian authorities have convened to strengthen their response to the growing volume of illegal remote gambling and digital financial fraud. The cross-institutional meeting, held on 20 November at the Government Chancellery, focused on improving coordination, speeding up domain takedowns, and enhancing regulatory tools to combat illicit operators.
The session was organised under a decree issued by the Prime Minister, bringing together key state institutions, including the National Cybersecurity Centre, the State Consumer Rights Protection Service, the Department of Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control, and the Bank of Lithuania. Technology analysis organisation Debunk.org, known for detecting fraudulent online activity, also attended.
The Gambling Supervisory Authority presented insights into the scale of illegal remote gambling, noting it is now Lithuania’s third most active institution for domain restrictions. The regulator currently tracks nearly 2,000 illegal gambling websites, with frequent updates to the national register.
Under current procedures, the authority may instruct internet service providers to block illegal domains following a court order, and financial institutions can be directed to prevent settlement activity linked to unlicensed operators. From 1 May 2025, Lithuania will introduce stricter rules, allowing card-based gambling payments only to operators approved on the national “White List”.
Officials highlighted broader concerns about digital fraud across Europe, with losses exceeding €4bn annually and more than half of reported cases linked to Meta-owned platforms. Participants agreed that faster coordination, increased automation, and stronger frameworks are essential to curb illegal gambling and online crime.
The meeting adds momentum to Lithuania’s recent reforms, including a 2024 law banning most gambling advertising from July 2025, reflecting a nationwide effort to enhance consumer protection and disrupt illegal online activity.
