Lithuania has officially started a phased implementation of significant restrictions and introduced bans on gambling ads, with new, stricter rules taking effect today.
This move, initiated by the country’s Gaming Control Authority, represents a transitional period leading to a comprehensive ban on all gambling promotions scheduled for 2028.
The updated legislation, which was decisively passed by the Lithuanian parliament in November 2024 with 73 votes in favour, aims to diminish the visibility of gambling activities. Under the new framework, gambling operators are now prohibited from most forms of external advertising.
The display of company names and trademarks is permitted only on the exterior of their official headquarters and at their licensed gambling venues. Furthermore, operators may continue to feature their brand on their proprietary websites.
The regulations extend to mass media, where significant limitations have been imposed. Television, radio, and online advertisements for betting services are now capped at a maximum length of 15 seconds.
These brief ads can be broadcast up to three times per hour between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM, and a maximum of twice per hour from 6:00 PM until midnight. Crucially, online advertisements are forbidden from including direct hyperlinks to betting platforms.
While the new laws are indeed strict, they do allow for certain types of promotion to continue. Gambling companies may still sponsor sporting events, teams, athletes, and cultural activities.
However, a key change is that the names of these sponsoring companies can no longer be integrated into the official titles of sports clubs or leagues, though their branding may appear alongside the sponsored entity.
Information related to gambling will now only be permissible for publication in media outlets that are specifically focused on the gambling industry itself.
