Bonus ban in the Gaming Law amendments

On the 20 of May 2021, the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania has approved the amendments to the Gaming Law of the Republic of Lithuania (draft Law No XIVP-392(2)) related to the gambling promotion ban (bonuses, free bets, free spins, promotion campaigns, etc.). The amendments will come into force from 1 July 2021.

It means, that it will be prohibited the promotion of participation in gambling – propagation of information or encouraging in any form and by any means, including special events, test games, promotion campaigns, discounts, gifts, and similar incentives to participate in gambling or remote gambling organized by the gambling organizer.

In the meantime, the prohibited promotion measures are:

• to give the gambler the right to receive gifts from the gambling organizer immediately or within a certain period after participation in the gambling;
• to organize games or competitions, test games, lotteries, and other events that promote participation in gambling, including remote games, at places other than gambling venues or on the website of the gambling organizer.

The whole original Parliament press release in Lithuanian can be found here - Seimas uždraudė bet kokia forma skatinti lošti - Naujienos (lrs.lt)

The regulation related to gambling advertising remains unchanged. I. e., as established in the Gaming Law of the Republic of Lithuania (Par. 9, 91 and 92 pf the Article 10):

9. It shall be prohibited to advertise gaming in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, except for the names, trademarks of the companies operating games, and types of games operated. It shall be prohibited to publish any information related to gaming on websites intended for persons under 18 years of age. A website intended for persons under the age of 18 is a website where at least 4/5 of the content is dedicated to the description of events and phenomena intended for children and adolescents, their professional evaluation, information about them, and the dissemination of children's and adolescents' artistic and technical creations.

9 ¹ . Publication of the advertising referred to in paragraph 9 of this Article may not include any additional written, visual or audio information.

9 ² . Publication of the advertising referred to in paragraph 9 of this Article must be accompanied by a warning notice that participation in gaming may lead to gaming addiction or pathological gaming. The content of the warning notice and the rules for its presentation in advertising shall be determined by the Control Authority.

The Gaming Control Authority publishes on its website updated public consultations on permitted gambling advertising which are available in Lithuanian here.