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Rīga City Council to Ban Gambling Halls in the Latvian Capital

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The Rīga city council is planning to ban gambling in the Latvian capital almost completely according to new regulations it has prepared.

The municipality has developed new binding regulations that will determine the territories in which the organisation of gambling will be prohibited. Rīga Mayor Vilnis Ķirsis said at a press conference that the main goal of the binding regulations is to make Riga gambling-free.

However, the plan is not in fact a blanket ban, though it stipulates that gambling is only possible in a few small areas.

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Gambling will not be allowed to be organised in municipal real estate, neighbourhood centres, cultural monuments and their territories, their protective zones and in the building protection territories specified in the Riga spatial plan.

Juris Celmārs, Chairman of the Board of Olympic Casino Latvia Ltd., said that the planned restrictions could promote the development of a new niche of the shadow economy – unregulated, illegal gambling halls which would not generate any tax revenue.

“By preventing a legal and strictly supervised industry from operating, illegal places will begin to satisfy consumer demand,” Celmārs said.

The Latvian Interactive Gambling Association (LIAB) said that decisions must be proportionate and legal, otherwise the industry will be forced to go to court to defend its rights. There have already been lengthy legal battles over the matter.

“As a result, the industry’s losses and legal expenses may have to be compensated from the city budget,” LIAB representatives said.

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Baltics

Number of Estonians Using Gambling Self-exclusion Services Rises by Nearly 36% in Five Years

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The number of Estonians opting for self-imposed gambling restrictions has grown in five years from just over 14,000 to approximately 19,000. This represents a rise of nearly 36%.

Jekaterina Nikitina, head of the excise department at the Tax and Customs Board (EMTA), said: “In the past five years, the number of people with restrictions has increased by about 5000, or more precisely, by 4984 people.”

Restrictions can only be self-imposed by a gambler and not put in place by a family member or anyone else regardless of any problems the individual may be battling with – nor can they be imposed on all types of gambling.

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Lottery scratch cards, for instance, cannot be subject to self-restriction, though use of most other games of chance including table games at online and offline casinos, the regular lottery, sports betting and skill games, including the various varieties of poker, can be voluntarily restricted, the EMTA said.

Once imposed and entered on the gambling restriction register, the decision cannot be reversed.

Nikitina noted that a person must choose a period of restriction of between six and 36 months, and must separately apply to be removed from the list once that time has elapsed. The restriction does not end automatically and cannot be terminated at will during the validity period.

Imposing the restrictions can be done via EMTA’s self-service portal. Gambling operators licensed in Estonia cannot permit people to play with them if subject to a ban, including a self-imposed one.

The post Number of Estonians Using Gambling Self-exclusion Services Rises by Nearly 36% in Five Years appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Baltics

BETER Shortlisted in Nine Categories at the Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards 2025

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BETER is proud to announce that we have been shortlisted in nine categories at the Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming (BSG) Awards 2025, organized by HIPTHER. This recognition highlights our continued commitment to delivering top-tier esports, sports betting content and solutions across key European markets.

Our nominations reflect excellence in both Baltic and Nordic categories:

Baltic Categories:

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  • Best Esports Service Provider in the Baltics
  • Rising Star in Baltic Sports Betting Technology
  • Best Virtual Sports Provider in the Baltics
  • Rising Star in Baltic Virtual Sports

Nordic Categories:

  • Best Esports Service Provider in the Nordics
  • Best Sports Betting Provider in the Nordics
  • Rising Star in Nordic Sports Betting Technology
  • Best Virtual Sports Provider in the Nordics
  • Rising Star in Nordic Virtual Sports

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us during the voting process. Your trust and recognition inspire us to keep innovating and delivering outstanding content and solutions tailored to the needs of operators and players in these dynamic regions.

The winners will be revealed on 27 May 2025 during the MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit in Vilnius — stay tuned!

The post BETER Shortlisted in Nine Categories at the Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Baltics

Aviatrix granted certification in Estonia

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Aviatrix has received certification to offer its award-winning crash game to operators in Estonia.

It marks the latest regulated market that Aviatrix has entered into, with the game already live in the country with leading brand FenixBet.

Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “Securing certification in Estonia is another exciting step forward for Aviatrix as we continue to expand into regulated markets. We’re thrilled to already be live with FenixBet and look forward to delivering our innovative crash game experience to even more players in the country.”

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Aviatrix has added a host of regulated markets over recent months, including Spain, Colombia, Brazil and Peru.

It underlines the team’s commitment to bringing the game to players around the world.

Aviatrix is a constantly evolving game, with regular feature updates for partners, including the recent launch of free bets, now available through in-game promo codes.

The post Aviatrix granted certification in Estonia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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