Lithuania’s Seimas approved a number of changes to the country’s gaming law on first reading, including online-only licensing

Currently, being licensed to operate land-based games is required to be able to offer remote gaming, although operators are allowed to team up.

With these changes, an online-only license would be possible.

Online gaming operators must have a capital of € 1.2 million for casino games or € 289,000 for online sports betting and € 144,000 for online racing betting to be able to apply for a license . In addition, the new law also obliges city councils to authorize the construction of slot machine rooms, bingo halls and betting shops.

The bill also?establishes a new fee?for all kinds of licences. On receipt of a licence, licensees must pay €1m plus a supplementary fee, depending on the kind of licence. This is €300,000 for slots, €100,000 for?bingos and betting, as well as €500,000 for remote play.

Mykolas Majauskas, a member of the?Seimas?who wrote?the modifications, claimed it would bring in?the changes €8 million each year. He suggested these additional monies might be used to prevent addiction.

A total of 74 Seimas members voted in support, while 7 voted against and 39 abstained. In the second reading, the legislature would again need to accept the amendments for the bill to become legislation.

Next up: Malta Week

Don’t miss out on amazing networking opportunities and exclusive industry insights at?Malta Week. Four leading shows will bring the best of the business back-to-back to a first-class meeting point. Malta Week will consist of?SiGMA,?AIBC,?Med-Tech World?and?AGS, each presenting the top developments of their focal industries.

The cross-collaboration of each brand makes Malta Week the number one destination for leading think-tanks of the gaming sector, emerging tech, digital health, and digital marketing. The middle of the Mediterranean is the perfect place for multi-faceted business deals and face-to-face conversations with leading affiliates, policymakers, and thought leaders.