Latvia Cracks Down on Online Casinos

29.04.2019, 11:53

Another country is in the news for banning online gambling sites. This time, it’s Latvia. After deciding to close all land-based casinos in the capital, the country is cracking down on online casinos. The Parliament has approved amendments to the gambling law that prohibit the players from gambling on the sites without a local license.

The new amendments will help the country regulate online gambling in Latvia. These are not the first actions taken to subdue unlicensed operators. More than 20 illegal websites were blocked back in February.

Among the banned sites were RedKings and PlayMillion. However, reports claim that the local internet providers have only blocked a third of these sites. The sites that allow players from Latvia to play are subject to a €20k fine. 

There are strict penalties reserved for players of unlicensed sites as well. Just playing on a site will result in a €350 fine. If the taxes for winning more than €3000 are not paid, the fine can amount to 23% of the winnings. 

Such regulations come as no surprise, as many countries are seeking new ways to regulate online gambling. For example, Sweden might ban gambling ads altogether. In the meantime, the UK wants to ban credit card gambling in the country.

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