Lithuania Casino
Lithuania is yet another former Soviet state that is rightfully earning its place on the map of live casino game providers in Europe. Bordering another popular studio destination - Latvia - this Baltic country is strategically placed between Russia and Western Europe giving software companies the tools and manpower to target both markets at the same time. Currently the only live studios in the country are located in the capital, Vilnius, where you can find a number of specialty and regular live casino games which have a certain dose of flair that’s easily recognized.
Like a number of Eastern European locations, Lithuania is a place with a solid land-based industry from where most of the local dealers draw their experience and education from. Whether you go for specialty games in the likes of BetGames, or the standard casino offer, you can expect a high level of professionalism from the dealers, openness and charm, as well as a focus on engaging players and following their pace. And since most of the dealers are Europeans born in the Soviet era, they can speak both English and Russian well.
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- 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.
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Lithuania is a country which does not have any problems at all with its population gambling online. However, before everybody starts popping the champagne corks, we need to note that this stance comes with terms and conditions. Gambling online is legal in Lithuania, provided you play at an online casino which is licensed by the state. To date, the only operators who are permitted to obtain a license are those who have a physical presence in the country. This naturally means that only a handful of casinos are legal. This is not all bad news, and you can find out why as we look at the best online casinos in Lithuania.
An Overview of Gambling in Lithuania
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Until 2016, all forms of online gambling in Lithuania were technically legal, but unregulated. In 2016, Lithuania decided to enact new gambling laws. The Gaming Control Authority (CGA) gained the authority to license operators, and those casinos would be deemed legal and above board. However, the nature of the new Lithuania gambling laws meant that only operators who had a physical presence in the country would be permitted. Those offshore operators which did not would be illegal and could potentially be added to a blacklist of banned sites.
To obtain a license from the CGA, an operator must either run a land-based casino or be in partnership with one of the brick-and-mortar casinos which operate legally in the country. Some alliances were made between international casinos and their Lithuanian land-based counterparts, but with few casinos to choose to work with, this means that there are few offshore casinos which have permission to offer i-gaming services to Lithuanians.
Lithuania does run a blacklist of international casinos who do not qualify. Officially, Lithuanians are not supposed to sign up and wager at these external sites. However, there is no specific law against it, and certainly no punishments for any Lithuanian players who choose to do so. Because of this, players in Lithuania who possess a VPN (virtual private network) can rather easily get around the geo-blocking measures in place and play at virtually any casino they see fit. The threat of fines for Lithuanian players taking advantage of this loophole has not materialised, although it is worth noting that cryptocurrency betting is illegal, and the authorities may choose to crack down on this.
Lithuania’s Most Played Casino Games
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Lithuania does not differentiate between games of skill and games of chance. As a result, players in the Baltic country are essentially free to wager on what they like. Some games are popular amongst the population, and others are not so much. With that in mind, let us look at some of the games which you can play at Lithuanian betting sites.
Slots:Slots are immensely popular with Lithuanian players. They are arguably the most popular types of casino games played. Both Lithuanian licensed casinos and those offshore domains which accept players in the country are known for offering a wide range of slot machines.
Table Games: Table games are also popular, with poker amongst the most played games. Officially, there are no poker rooms in the country, but many top casinos offer a decent selection of poker games (including video poker and live dealer games) for you to play. Naturally, though, the selection of poker games is more extensive at international domains than those licensed out of Lithuania.
Lottery and Bingo Games: Both games are legal in Lithuania, but one is considerably more popular than the other. Lottery games are widespread, and unlike other countries, there is not a monopoly on them. Any operator can offer a lottery game, provided they obtain a license. Bingo is much less popular, and there no bingo rooms in the country. Instead, bingo games tend to appear as instant win titles at a far-flung selection of Lithuanian online casinos.
Sports Betting: Lithuanian players love a punt on sports. These are many land-based sports betting outlets in the country, and unsurprisingly, a few sportsbooks are available online, too. However, these tend to feature limited markets, so many Lithuanians tend to place their sports bets at more international recognisable and extensive online bookies, and these tend to be based offshore.
Taxes on Big Wins at Lithuanian Casinos
Taxes
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There are gambling taxes for both operators and land-based establishments in Lithuania. Gambling taxes come in many shapes and forms. Lottery operators must pay 5% on every ticket sold. Land-based casinos must pay €87 a month for each Category B gambling machine they own, and €232 per month for every Category A gambling machine. Roulette, card, and dice-based table games cost €1,738 per game per month.
It is a different story for online operators. They pay taxes based on the revenue they receive. That tax goes straight to the Lithuanian government. Any revenue from bingo, sports betting, and casino games (online games) is set to be taxed at 15%, minus the amount paid out in winnings to players.
Fortunately, players in Lithuania are not subject to gambling taxes. No matter what a player happens to win, they can expect to pocket their winnings in full. This also applies to winnings from offshore casinos, which is just as well, as few players tend to report those for obvious reasons.
The Best Lithuanian Online Casinos to Join Today
Lithuanian players can choose to play at CGA licensed casinos, or those which are licensed offshore. The best Lithuanian online casinos may belong to either. Wherever you decide to set up shop, it is vital to check that you are playing at a trusted, secure, and licensed online casino. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for before you decide to get started at the best Lithuanian online casinos…
Safety and Security: Any online casino site which is licensed by the Gaming Control Authority is safe and secure to play at and is legal. These sites adhere to the heavily regulated laws of Lithuania. However, you are free (within reason) to play at offshore casinos, too. If you do so, make sure that you opt to play at sites which are licensed out of another EU country, as the regulation and fairness at these sites tend to be along the same lines as those found in Lithuania.
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Fair Bonuses and Promotions: Lithuania players may sign up to an offshore casino and think that they can claim any bonus and promotion advertised. This may not be the case, though. Some bonuses and promotions are not available to players in Lithuania. Always check the terms and conditions of any bonuses and promotions, to ensure that you are eligible to claim them if you live in Lithuania. Moreover, check the wagering requirements to ensure that promos and bonuses are fair.
Lithuanian Options: Lithuania uses the euro, so you should not have too much difficulty finding an international casino offering this currency. However, you might struggle to find casinos which provide gameplay in Lithuanian. Polish and Russian are official languages at a regional level in the country, so playing at sites which offer gameplay in those languages is an option. English is also taught in Lithuania, and Lithuanians who speak English will have no problem finding somewhere to play.
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All Games Under One Roof: All forms of gambling are legal in Lithuania, so players should be able to find a broad selection of games at Lithuanian casinos. However, they may not be able to find sports betting, bingo, and lottery games all under roof. There are many renowned, international operators which do offer this service. If you want to play anything and everything with a single account, foreign and offshore casinos may be the way to go.
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Of course, the simplest and safest way to play online casino games in Lithuania is to visit an online casino which is licensed by Lithuania’s authorities. However, in all honesty, there are not too many sites to choose from. As you cannot be punished for playing at an offshore casino, this may be a better road to head down. If you do opt to play at the latter, we strongly encourage you to take your time and only play at sites which are as well-regulated and offer a service which suits you, such as gameplay in your language and with Lithuanian-friendly payment options. You can find some of those casinos right here on this page.