Latvia bans online gambling during coronavirus lockdown
- By: Michael Maguire
- April 8, 2020
- LikeUnlikeLike
- 2293 Views
The Latvian government recently passed a bill banning all online gambling activity while the country is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the back end of March, lawmakers in Riga approved new legislation that prohibited gaming and wagering with the exception of “interactive gambling, numerical lotteries and instant lotteries”.
However, it is now understood that Latvia’s Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection (IAUI) has suspended “all gambling licenses for physical gambling venues” as well as “interactive media and/or via electronic communication services”.
The IAUI’s legal director, Janis Ungurs, recently confirmed that every online gambling operator in the nation was “obliged to stop operations” as of Monday, April 6.
Ungurs also said that gaming, wagering and lottery firms were required to meet “all legal obligations with players/customers”.
While the bill states that Latvia’s online gambling ban will last until Tuesday, April 14, that end date could be pushed back as far as July.
The news comes amid a sharp increase in activity at online casinos and betting sites worldwide as a result of lockdown measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
In New Jersey, which is one of the few jurisdictions in the United States where internet casinos are allowed to operate, online gaming figures have skyrocketed since Atlantic City’s casinos shut up shop in March.
In the United Kingdom, gambling awareness groups have urged online bookmakers and casino sites to institute a £50 daily betting limit in a bid to combat problem gambling.
You may also like
Join the Betting Planet team!
Are you passionate about sports betting? Sports news writers required TODAY!
Experienced preferred but not essential. (All apps considered).
View Careers at Race MediaTop Online Casinos
Latest Betting News
- EPL Matchweek 14 betting picks, odds & predictions
- Aljamain Sterling looking to silence critics at UFC 310
- Browns @ Broncos NFL Monday betting picks | Week 13
- Jack Draper credits newfound maturity for career-best season
- NZ v England: Latham unfazed by Black Caps’ fielding woes
- South Africa rises to 2nd in WTC after big win against Sri Lanka
- England take command on day three of First Test vs New Zealand
- NFL Sunday Week 13 free preview and betting picks | December 1
- South Africa near victory in Durban Test against Sri Lanka
- La Liga betting tips, prop picks & best odds | Matchday 15
Casino Guides
- Safest online casino jurisdictions
- How to guides
- How to win at pokies
- How to play online pokies
- PaysafeCard online casino deposits
- MasterCard Online Casinos
- Online Casinos Accepting POLi
- 32Red Casino Review
- All Slots Casino Review
- Boombet Casino review
- Horse racing games at casinos
- Credit card deposits at online casinos
- Films about blackjack
- Live dealer casinos
- How to play live dealer blackjack party
- Online Blackjack
- Top online casinos 2024
- Online casino deposits
- MasterCard Online Casinos
- Online Casinos Accepting POLi
- PaysafeCard online casino deposits
- Online slots
- Playing Pai Gow Poker on the Internet
- Online keno
- Online poker
- Online poker tournament structures
- Real money online roulette 2024
- Online multi-wheel roulette – what is it?
- How to play online scratch cards in 2024
- Sit & Go online poker tournaments
- Skrill e-wallet deposits at online casinos
- Visa online casino deposits
Sports Betting Guides
Casino Games
Deposits & Withdrawals
Football
Basketball
Top Country Betting sites
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Brazil
- Canada
- Dominican Republic
- Germany
- Ghana
- Grenada
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Kenya
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe