Illegal Operators Threatened With Website Blockage By Lithuanian Government
Published May 11, 2021 by Sol FH
The Lithuanian Gaming Control Board taking measures to block websites if illegal gambling continues.
iGaming is a big business in Lithuania and there are multiple operators with licenses that are able to offer games of chance to Lithuanian players. In order to offer online gambling in the country, operators must hold a valid license, which also regulates them to ensure they offer players a fair chance and also abide by the numerous laws therein.
Lithuanian gambling laws allow for the removal of any operator deemed "illegal," which may include a fine or a complete block of their website(s). In the event that a gambling site is blocked, it is also added to the Lithuanian Control Boards' blacklist of illegal operators.
There is only one way to get off the blacklist and that is by obtaining a license.
A New Dawn of Regulation in Lithuania
“The Control Authority strongly recommends all online gambling operators review all their activities related to remote gambling in Lithuania and take actions to ensure that such services are not available for Lithuanian customers,” the Control Authority commented.
“After having identified the fact of illegal remote gambling activity in the Republic of Lithuania, the Control Authority is authorized to take measures established in the Gaming Law.”
The Control Board has recently upped its activity and just last month is imposed the first-ever fine against an illegal operator, which included a fine of €15,000 after the site unreasonably set betting limit restrictions on an online customer.
Moreover, the regulator also laid down a heavy fine on a specific employee of a digital media site for posting illegal iGaming ads on the Krepsinis.net website.
