Online Casinos in Lithuania: Fair & Safe Sites
Lithuania is one of those post-Soviet countries that had issues with gambling before they regained their independence. However, today, Lithuania has a well-regulated market, and can offer a comparatively broad array of different betting entertainments. There are land based casinos and web casinos, lotteries, sports betting, and other activities, legally allowed and enjoyed by the residents,
So, you will generally meet no issues when looking for an online casino Lithuania. However, it still makes sense to check out the list of the best online casinos Lithuania, in order to avoid low-quality, or potentially scammy websites.
One important thing you need to know about legal Lithuanian online casinos is that they are not allowed to provide any bonuses to the players. If you would still like to find an international casino that may offer you a bonus, check out the list below. If you would like to know what perks to look for at a casino if bonus is unavailable, also make sure you check the list of online casino offers. We have gathered the top online casino Lithuania sites.
According to the affiliate disclosure, we need to inform you that this page contains affiliate links. We can receive a commission on casino deposits made by users via these links. However, we honestly rank online casinos and provide the Casinority Score based rating. Play responsibly and only in legal allowed countries!
Top casino sites in Lithuania
History of Gambling in Lithuania
Lithuania has a long history in Europe, but not much is actually known about its gambling traditions. Most likely, residents used to play games of chance and games of skill according to the same trends as rest of the Europe - aristocracy had more taste in games of skill like card games, while peasants could enjoy games of chance more. When the influence of the Church was more powerful, gambling activities were pursued less.
What we do know for sure is that, when in 1940s the country found itself under the law of the Soviet Union, all punting activities were strictly prohibited. Gambling in Soviet Union was considered a necessary feature of capitalism which was hated. In fact, the heads of the political party, and also criminals, could actually enjoy punting in illegal casinos around the country, but this was done in secrecy.
Only in the 1990s, when Lithuania eventually gained its independence back, it immediately adopted the rules of the free market, and made gambling niche one of the powerful sources of income for the state. Ar first, gambling was not legally approved, but it was not prohibited, as well, so the market started to develop slowly. It was unregulated, noo laws or taxes were applied, and the safety of land-based venues was doubtful.
Yet, already in a few years, partially due to influence of the Catholic Church, and partially due to rapid development of the Internet, the state was forced to have a dig at gambling in legal terms. In 2001, the first Gaming Act was issued, and then amended in 2016.
Between 2001 and 2016, players and many casinos in fact enjoyed unseen freedom. Anyone could play any games, anywhere - like best blackjack websites. Gambling became really popular as an entertainment. But in 2016, all casinos, including offshore sites operating from abroad and running in Lithuania, were obliged to obtain local licenses. Next, businesses had to pay taxes. Online casinos real money without license started to get blocked. Eventually, the market came to the state of proper regulation we can see in Lithuania today.
Current Situation on Gambling in Lithuania
Current situation on gambling in Lithuania is pretty transparent. All land based venues are to have license and pay tax; until they do so, they are available to all citizens and guests 21 years old and older.
The majority of brick and mortar facilities are operated by the monopolist Olifeja, who manages both casinos and lotteries. Other three companies manage sports betting, and are backed by the state. This forms a certain monopoly the state would like to protect. They actually tried to do so by forcing an Internet provider to block international casino sites, but the court rules this move was illegal.
Today, some online casinos operated from abroad and offering entertainment to Lithuanians can be blocked, but the majority of them are usually available for access. There are no known cases of player persecution for betting at an offshore casino without local license.
One of the best things about online gambling in Lithuania is access to high quality and high speed Internet, including mobile connection - perfect for online casinos for Android. Lithuania is one of the 20 countries globally that have high broadband Internet speed. This will make your gaming experience really satisfying - live dealer online casino will never lag, and you can even access VR casino sites.
Laws for Gambling in Lithuania
- There are three main laws that regulate the niche in the country. They are:
- The Gambling Act of the Republic of Lithuania
- The Lotteries Act of the Republic
- The Law on Lottery and Gambling Tax
According to the rules applied by these laws, there are certain limitations you want to keep in mind:
- any web casino operator wanting to provide their service in the country must run a brick and mortar casino in the first place. Otherwise, they will not be granted a license. One of the ways to work around this rule is to partner with an existing land based facility.
- no operator is allowed to offer any bonuses, gifts, and promotions connected to casino games, to Lithuanian punters.
- no operator is allowed to run an advertisement of their services anywhere but their actual websites. Social media or TV ads are prohibited.
However, there is good news, as well. Lithuania offers broad opportunities for betting with cryptocurrency online. The point is, Bitcoin and other crypto coins are not considered an effective currency in Lithuania, so if the casino accepts deposits and bets in crypto, they do not need to obtain a license. Punters, on the other hand, are not expected to show their winnings to the state, whatever big they are. This is why crypto gambling is on the rise in the country. Such situation will preserve until the state fixes the corresponding loophole in the law.
Regulatory Authorities in Lithuania
The only agency responsible for the gaming market is the Gaming Control Authority under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. This agency takes care of all the legal aspects - from control and regulation, to issuing new licenses and removing the expired ones from operators.
Taxation Laws on Gambling in Lithuania
There are clear taxation rates for gambling businesses in Lithuania. Companies running lotteries are to pay 5%, plus they have charity obligations. Betting, including betting on sports and fantasy sports, and land based venues are to pay 15% on their gross revenue. Operators offering remote gaming have to pay 10% tax.
Yet, the players seem to not be obliged to pay tax on their winnings. Lottery winnings are taxed at the source, and only really huge casino winnings may also be taxed. However, professional poker players are expected to show their winnings as income, and pay an income tax.
Land Based Casinos in Lithuania
There are around 60 land based gambling houses in the country. Let’s look through three of the biggest and most popular ones.
Opened in 2003, this venue offers 14 table games, up to 100 slots machines, and a separate poker room.
This facility has seven table games, 40 slots machines, and three poker tables. There is also a hotel and some restaurants.
This brick and mortar casino in the historic town of Klaipeda was founded in 2012. Today, it has nine table games, up to 100 slots machines, and a separate table for poker players.
Banking Options for Gambling in Lithuania
Due to the fact that Lithuania is part of the European Union, and the casinos are legal, the players will have no problems paying with their plastic cards or e-wallets. On the other hand, the Internet connection is really high quality, so various online payment processing systems work perfectly there. You can choose from the following options:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Maestro
- American Express
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Neosurf
- Zimpler
- GiroPay
- TrustPay
- Entercash
- Webmoney
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Trustly
- SEPA
- Payone
- Paysafecard
- Ukash
- UnionPay
- PaySafe
- Entropay
- GoPay
- PayU
- EcoCard
- Paysera
- AstroPay
Popular Cities in Lithuania for Gambling
Most cities in the country can boast one land based facility for gaming. But you may want to check out places with more than one casino. These are:
- Kaunas - 5
- Klaipėda - 13
- Panevėžys - 3
- Šiauliai - 3
- Vilnius - 27
Don’t forget that the list counts only big full-fledged casino houses. You will find smaller locations with slots machines, plus there are racing courses and other facilities, as well.
Facts About Lithuania
- in the 14th century, Lithuania was the biggest country in Europe
- it is one of the so-called Baltic states
- it was the last European country that accepted Christianity
- it was the first Soviet country to declare independence from USSR
- Lithuanian is one of the oldest languages in the world - it is close to ancient Sanskrit
- the most popular sport in the country is basketball
- Lithuania is the land of storks
