Lithuania Proposes Measures to Restrict Gambling for Individuals with Outstanding Loans

Mindaugas Linge, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance in Lithuania, has suggested legislative amendments to tighten regulations on gambling. One proposed reform involves prohibiting individuals with outstanding consumer loans from engaging in gambling activities.

Linge highlighted the need to strengthen control measures to legitimize anonymous gambling, drawing parallels with the concept of secret shopping in pharmacies. He emphasized the importance of monitoring companies' compliance with established rules and procedures. Linge also advocated for effective funding of gambling supervision and proposed additional taxes on remote gambling firms with significantly higher profits dominating the market.

The politician touched upon existing initiatives, including the ban on gambling advertising, raising the age limit for gambling from 18 to 21, and amendments proposed by the Ministry of Finance to translate responsible gambling guidelines into law during the upcoming parliamentary spring session.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Finance has urged gambling entities to monitor players displaying signs of addiction or experiencing substantial losses. Virginijus Daukšis, the head of the Gambling Supervision Service, expressed confidence that these amendments would address longstanding issues, noting that gambling operators possess the means to prevent significant losses.