Lithuania Raises Minimum Gambling Age to 21 — New Rules in Force

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lithuania raises minimum gambling age to 21

New Gambling Age Regulation in Lithuania: Minimum Raised to 21

From 1 November 2025, Lithuania has officially raised the minimum legal gambling age to 21 for all forms of gambling — both online and land-based.

What Changed

  • Before, the age limit varied depending on the gambling format. For example: slot‑machine halls, bingo halls, betting shops, and totalisators allowed 18‑year‑olds; while casinos already required gamblers to be at least 21. 
  • Under the new law, that distinction has been removed: everyone must be 21 or older, regardless of whether they gamble online or at a physical venue.

Why the Change — and What Else Is in the Reform

The updated legislation, adopted by the relevant Lithuanian regulatory authorities, is part of a broader effort to tighten gambling regulations and strengthen consumer protection. 

Some of the accompanying measures include:
  • Behavioral monitoring: Operators must deploy systems to track gambling behavior and identify high-risk patterns. 
  • Automatic suspensions: If a player is flagged as high‑risk, their access must be suspended for 48 hours.
  • Limit tools for online gambling: Players will need to set daily, weekly, and monthly spending limits — as well as session time limits. Once limits are reached, gambling automatically stops. Requesting an increase to those limits triggers a mandatory delay before approval.
  • Stricter penalties: Regulatory fines for violations have been significantly increased. Rather than fixed‑amount fines (e.g. €25,000), penalties will now be calculated as a percentage of the operator’s annual gross revenue — making them more deterrent, especially for larger businesses.
The core aim of these reforms is to reduce gambling‑related harm, prevent underage gambling, and encourage responsible gaming — aligning Lithuania with a broader European trend towards safer, more controlled gambling environments.

What This Means for Players and Operators

  • If you’re under 21: You are now prohibited from participating in any gambling — including online casinos, sports betting, bingo, slot halls, etc.
  • Operators must upgrade compliance — from identity checks to behavioral monitoring and limit‑setting tools.
  • Online gambling platforms will likely implement more conservative deposit and session controls, and possibly enhanced “responsible gambling” interfaces.
  • The increased fines and more stringent oversight mean operators must be more vigilant — and non‑compliance will carry heavier consequences.

Conclusion

Lithuania’s decision to raise the minimum gambling age to 21 — along with a suite of protective measures — marks a significant shift in the country’s gambling regulation landscape. The reforms reflect a clear commitment to responsible gambling, safeguarding minors and vulnerable players, and tightening regulatory oversight for operators.

If you’re an operator, compliance with these rules is now mandatory. If you’re developing gambling-related products or services, this is a pivotal change to take into account.

At AIS Technolabs, we help clients navigate regulatory changes — from compliance to platform adaptations — ensuring you stay ahead of the curve. Book a meeting with our experts today to discuss how these changes affect your business and how we can help you adapt seamlessly.

Disclaimer

This blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only. We do not promote or facilitate gambling activities in any country where it is considered illegal. Our content is focused solely on providing knowledge about legal and regulated markets. We only work with operators and platforms that are licensed and comply with the laws of jurisdictions where casino gaming is permitted. We do not operate or endorse any form of gambling in restricted regions. In countries where only skill-based games are allowed, our involvement is strictly limited to those games.

We believe gambling should be an entertaining and responsible activity. Our goal is to ensure that the platforms we review uphold the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and player safety.

FAQs

Ans.
The unified minimum gambling age of 21 became effective on 1 November 2025.

Ans.
Yes — the 21+ rule applies across the board to all licensed gambling forms in Lithuania.

Ans.
Earlier legislative drafts and some transitions excluded national lottery draws from the new limit. However, the new unified rule appears to target most gambling activities under license.

Ans.
Key measures include mandatory behavioral monitoring, deposit and time‑limit tools for online platforms, automatic suspensions for high‑risk players, and significantly increased fines for non‑compliant operators.

Ans.
The changes are motivated by growing concerns about gambling‑related social harms — especially among youth — as well as a desire to align the gambling sector with modern standards of responsibility, transparency, and consumer protection.