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Gambling license in Latvia: stages and peculiarities

05 September 2017 - 18:04

Written by Editorial Board
Gambling license in Latvia: stages and peculiarities

Latvia is among the countries with favorable environment for gambling business due to advantageous tax system. In order to start gambling business in Latvia a state license is required.

In 2017 the country accounts for 6 land-based casinos, 320 slot halls, 57 totes and 7 licensed online casinos. Most of the facilities are located in Riga. In the last few years, the profit of Latvian gambling has been steadily growing (according to the official statistics, the income of virtual casinos alone increased by €13 million from 2014 to 2016). However, this growth cannot be called hasty. The reason is the fact that licensing of gambling in Latvia has its pitfalls. When Latvia was part of the USSR, gambling in it was banned, except for the state lottery, as well as within the rest of the Union. The first casinos appeared when the Baltic country became independent, that is, after 1990. Since the beginning, gambling activities in Latvia have been licensed, but until 1994 there was no established procedure (licenses were issued by several agencies and were not included into a single register). In 1994, laws On Lotteries and Gambling and On Duty and Tax on Lotteries and Gambling were adopted, which specified the algorithm for tax payment and the procedure for issuing licenses. In 1995, 2005 and 2014, the legislation was amended: the requirements for casinos were tightened, the share of foreign companies was limited, and unlicensed online operators were banned. Today, it is not difficult to get a license for gambling business in Latvia, but there are some nuances that restrain the market development.

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