Lithuania’s Finance Ministry has proposed a mandatory player card for anyone who wants to gamble, whether online or in physical venues. Under the draft, the card would become compulsory from January 1, 2029.
The proposal is part of a wider gambling reform package. Some of the other changes would start earlier, from May 1, 2027, but the player card system and related payment rules would come later.
The proposal would make player tracking easier
The ministry says the card would help create a single record of gambling activity across Lithuania. That means player deposits and winnings could be tracked across different operators instead of being recorded only within one company’s own system.
For regulators, that would bring a much broader view of player activity. For operators, it would mean a more controlled and standardised system that applies across both online gambling and land-based venues. The stated aim is to strengthen problem gambling prevention and reduce gambling-related harm.
Cash gambling would also be removed
The player card plan includes another change as well. Lithuania also wants to remove cash from gambling venues and from the way winnings are paid out. These parts of the reform are also set for the 2029 timeline.
Officials say the later start of proposal implementation gives operators more time to prepare. Operators would need time to update or replace gambling equipment so it can work with non-cash payments and the new control system.
That makes the card more than just an ID tool. It would be part of a bigger change in how gambling is tracked and paid for in Lithuania.
The plan also includes wider regulatory changes
The draft law does not focus only on players. It also includes changes to gambling oversight and would give Lithuania’s Gambling Supervisory Authority more powers. At the same time, the ministry says some rules seen as unnecessary for businesses would be removed.
Those earlier parts of the package are expected to take effect in May 2027, ahead of the player card requirement.
For now, the proposal still needs to move through the approval process. But the direction is clear: Lithuania is preparing a tighter gambling framework, with closer player tracking, less cash use, and stronger regulatory oversight.
