Albania’s parliament has voted to overturn a ban on online sports betting that was introduced in 2018.
However, the newly revised law stipulates that only ten companies will be granted licenses for online sports betting, with no provisions for operators to move into retail sports betting. Selection for these licenses will be overseen by a specially established “Commission of Licenses,” with stringent criteria for eligibility.
The specifics of the law states that
“online sports bets are bets placed on dedicated, authorized, and monitorable websites, applications, or electronic platforms of licensed entities”
The law excludes track races while also mandates the Licensing Commission to develop player protection programs, subject to approval by ministers.
Despite opposition protests during the tense parliamentary session, the newly revised law garnered enough votes for passage. Rigels Xhemollari of Tirana-based Qendresa Qytetare stated that the resumption of online sports betting will have detrimental effects on society and pointed out that it was these societal impacts that were originally condemned by Prime Minister Edi Rama in 2015.
Prime Minister Rama’s initial suggestion to reintroduce online gambling in September 2022 faced criticism from experts and political adversaries alike. Rama attributed his shift in stance to the persistence of gambling activities despite the ban enforced by his own party.
The ban on gambling in 2018, spearheaded by the Socialist Party, aimed to sever alleged ties between the industry and criminal syndicates. However, the subsequent surge in illegal gambling prompted the complete ban which came into effect on January 1st, 2019. Previous government efforts, such as the 2013 “End of the Madness” operation and subsequent legislative measures in 2015, failed to restrict the illegal gambling market.
Acknowledging the challenges of banning online gambling and citing expert advice, Rama proposed its regulated return which has now been approved.
There have been no indications which sports betting operators will enter the Albanian market.
