Latvia’s gambling crackdown could raise the legal age to 21 and force 30 gaming halls to close

Latvia’s Budget and Finance Committee has backed amendments to the Gambling and Lotteries Law that would tighten player protection rules across retail and online gambling. For operators, the immediate issue is not the politics but the bill’s practical effects: more age checks, new time limits, venue shutdown windows, and a potential hit to tax revenue.

1. The committee has recommended the draft legislation for a first reading in parliament. The incoming 15th Saeima, which takes office on November 3, will decide whether the process continues. Lawmakers have also said parts of the bill, first submitted in 2024, may need updating to match current market conditions.
2. The headline change is an increase in the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21 for both retail and online gambling. Lottery products would remain available from age 18. Neighbouring Lithuania and Estonia already use 21 for casinos, while Belgium raised the minimum age to 21 in 2024 and Greece also has 21 as the minimum age.
3. The draft would also force gaming venues to close between 6am and 9am. Betting and totalisator services would be exempt from that restriction, which means the rule is aimed at gaming venues rather than the full spectrum of gambling activity.
4. Online operators would face a maximum of 21 hours of gambling within any 24-hour period. The cap would apply across multiple sessions, not just a single login, so this is a cumulative time-control measure rather than a simple session timer. A centralised player verification system is also planned, adding another layer of monitoring across the market.
5. Industry estimates suggest the package could shut around 30 gaming halls, affect 240 jobs, and reduce gambling tax revenue by €4.46m. That is the part lawmakers and operators will keep circling back to: player protection on paper, venue economics in practice.

Similar proposals have been made this year in Romania and Bulgaria, which is useful context for PSPs and operators watching the region. When governments start combining age thresholds, mandatory downtime, and centralised verification, the compliance load tends to move quickly from policy discussion to systems work.