Lithuania has reaffirmed the use of ‘mandatory player cards’ as the cornerstone reform of its overhaul of gambling laws to be fully implemented by 2029

An appraisal was provided to SBC News by the Gambling Control Authority of Lithuania that the mechanism was viewed as a new central control passed due to amendments to the Gaming Law of the Republic of Lithuania as approved by the Ministry of Finance.

Though controversial to some, The Ministry of Finance backed the measure arguing that stricter controls are necessary to strengthen consumer protections and improve regulatory compliance of operators of a high risk sector.

Under the new framework, all customers who engage with gambling services of 18 licences land-based casinos, 50 arcade halls and 10 online licences must use a personalised gambling card linked directly to their player profile and national ID – a mandatory requirement that will be implemented via a phased approach to the Gaming Law from 2027 to 2028.

The reforms place Lithuania amongst Europe’s most controlled markets, introducing what officials describe as the first centralised gambling mechanism implemented by an EU member state. 

The framework combines identity verification, spending oversight and responsible gambling protections within a single system. Player cards have been used by the regulatory authorities of Poland and Norway, but primarily as a control on use of land-based slot machines checking customer IDs and playing time.

In comments provided to SBC, the Gambling Control Authority of Lithuania stressed that the initiative forms part of a wider responsible gambling strategy rather than a programme of player surveillance.

“The draft Law on Gambling is intended to establish the use of a player card as a mandatory requirement for all individuals seeking to participate in gambling activities, both at land-based gambling establishments and through remote gambling services,” the Authority stated.

“This measure is aimed at ensuring effective regulatory supervision of the gambling sector, reducing potential social, financial and health-related harm associated with gambling, and contributing to the implementation of responsible gambling policy.”

Lithuania prioritises control

At the centre of the framework sits account-based gambling controls. Each player card is linked directly to personal gambling accounts and consumer-opted spending limits, designed to provide players with greater visibility over gambling activity while enabling automated protections when thresholds are exceeded.

“The introduction of a mandatory player card, linked to the player’s personal gambling accounts and predetermined permissible limits, will ensure compliance with the established limits,” the Authority told SBC.

“Through the use of the player card, the player will be able to monitor their expenditure and winnings, while the system will automatically block transactions exceeding the limits set in advance.”

The player card also integrates into Lithuania s wider responsible gambling infrastructure, including national self-exclusion systems and age-verification controls.

Authorities have simultaneously tightened broader gambling protections in recent years, increasing the minimum gambling age and strengthening restrictions surrounding venue access and operating conditions.

Lithuania to lead EU on player oversight?

The Gambling Control Authority acknowledged that implementation raises compliance burdens for operators.

“The introduction of the player card, as well as the associated certification requirements, increases technological and financial barriers to market entry,” the Authority said.

“However, these requirements are applied uniformly to all market participants and ensure equal standards of responsible gambling and data protection.”

Lithuania s framework is likely to attract attention across Europe.

Regulators in Spain, France and the UK have increasingly examined stronger account-based protections, affordability controls and centralised player protection systems as governments attempt to balance market liberalisation by gaining “single view of the market”. 

Via a centralised control Lithuania has now moved further than most European counterparts… For many the question will be how far will other jurisdictions follow?