Lithuania’s Minister of Finance, Kristupas Vaitiekūnas, has revealed that the ministry has submitted amendments to the Gambling Law, aiming to introduce mandatory gambling cards for all players participating in both physical and online gambling from January 1, 2029. Under the amended law, players would be required to get personal cards before using any gambling service,
Lithuania’s Minister of Finance, Kristupas Vaitiekūnas, has revealed that the ministry has submitted amendments to the Gambling Law, aiming to introduce mandatory gambling cards for all players participating in both physical and online gambling from January 1, 2029.
Under the amended law, players would be required to get personal cards before using any gambling service, which would allow the government to track deposits and winnings across all land-based and online operators. The main goal of the measure is to increase responsible gaming rules and reduce gambling harm.
Vaitiekūnas stated:
“The player card is a core tool for implementing responsible gambling policy. It strengthens the prevention of problem gambling and ensures that the main objective, reducing access to gambling and its potential harm to health, is actually achieved.”
Additionally, the ministry has suggested moving away from cash payments in gambling venues and introducing exclusively non-cash payment methods tied to the player cards. There are also plans to give greater authority to the national regulator to supervise the gambling sector of the country.
The minister added:
“A three-year transition period is being set to give gambling operators time to upgrade existing equipment or replace it with systems that comply with non-cash payment requirements from 2029.”
The changes to market supervision and regulatory simplification are expected to come into effect on May 1, 2027, while the player card system and the cashless payments are set for January 1, 2029.