Gambling Laws in Albania

Albania's gambling laws present an interesting and mixed situation for the country. While many of the most common legalised activities are illegal there, others are under monopoly control or restricted to certain areas.

Which Types of Gambling Are Legal in Albania?

The main legislation on gambling in Albania is dictated by federal law 155/2015, with the updated amendment 75/2018 offering further specificity. Most forms of gambling are illegal under the current laws, but there are a few exceptions.

Land-Based and Online Casino Games

Brick-and-mortar casinos have been legal in Albania since 1992, with operators required to obtain licensing to offer their services. Casinos are only allowed to operate within the special zone of Tirana or in 5-star hotels/resorts outside of city limits. There are currently three licensed venues in Albania. Slot halls are not permitted anywhere in the country.

Online casinos are illegal and have been since January 2019. This includes online casino slots and live casino sites. The government works hard to prevent residents from being able to access offshore sites too, via geo-blocking. However, with no punishment for players, many still have little trouble accessing these platforms.

Playing Poker With Real Money

Poker is illegal in Albania and has been since 2019, except for the tables offered at licensed land-based casinos. The game has never been particularly popular in the country, with players preferring the appeal of the many slot halls that once operated.

Some people still play poker with family and friends even though it's illegal, but there's little to no enforcement of these laws.

Online poker is also illegal in Albania. That doesn't stop residents from registering and playing at the numerous international casinos and well-known foreign sites that are available. The government tries to prevent this through geo-blocking but is largely unsuccessful.

Bingo Gambling

Bingo is one of the few activities that remains largely legal. Since 1992 operators can offer games but only if they have the appropriate licensing. Though in 2019 playing bingo in dedicated halls was made illegal. Albanians can now access games through TeleBingo, which airs via the country's television network.

Online bingo has been illegal since 2019. None of the country's current operators run online games and foreign bingo casinos online are also forbidden.

Lottery Tickets, Scratch Cards and Keno Games

The most common form of gambling in Albania is the lottery, which has been legal since 1991. However, this is a monopoly controlled by Novomatic's Lotaria Kombёtare. Players can purchase tickets, scratchcards and keno games through the operator's many locations.

Novomatic doesn't offer online lottery games for real money, which is surprising since the activity is legal in the country.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

Loot boxes, skins gambling, crypto casinos and fantasy sports betting are not specifically mentioned in the gambling laws and are currently unregulated. Social casinos which allow players to enjoy games with 'free chips' and credits are also sat in a grey area. Free slots sites are permitted as no real money is involved.

Is It Legal To Bet on Sports in Albania?

Before 2019 sports betting was a popular pastime, especially regarding football. However, changes to the law shut down the entire sports betting industry in the country. There are currently no bookmakers anywhere in Albania.

Similarly, online sports betting is also illegal. Many residents still easily access online sports betting sites, though to date there have been no prosecutions against players.

Minimum Age to Gamble

There are two different limits to be aware of. Firstly, only those aged 21 and over are legally permitted to enter casinos in the country. Secondly, any other form of legal gambling is accessible to those aged 18+.

Albanian Gambling Tax Regulations

The government imposes a 15% tax on the gross revenue of all licensed operators within the country. This is in addition to licensing fees and a 3% annual tax on turnover.

For players, gambling winnings are taxed as personal income. This depends on monthly thresholds, with up to 30,000 Albanian lek being tax-free, 13% is charged on 30,000 - 150,000 and 23% applies to earnings of 150,000+.

History of Gambling Laws in Albania

Gambling was illegal in Albania during the communist era and due to increasing popularity, it was legalised in 1991. This is despite Islam, which is the most dominant religion in the country, forbidding all types of gambling.

Activities remained legal until the beginning of 2019 when Albania's gambling law 75/2018 deemed most forms illegal. Once the law was in place the gambling industry was decimated, with more than 4,000 venues closing down. This resulted in a massive drop in tax revenue of around $51 million. To soften this blow, Albania's president, Edi Rama, allowed the creation of a special casino zone in the country's capital, Tirana.

Key Facts

• Land-based casino gaming is legal under licence and only within special zones or at 5-star hotels or resorts. Online casino gambling is illegal.

• All forms of poker gambling are illegal in Albania.

• Land-based bingo is legal in the country, but online bingo is prohibited.

• The country's lotto is under monopoly control by Novomatic's Lotaria Kombёtare. Online lottery gaming is also legal, but there is currently no facility available for this.

• Both offline and online sports betting are illegal in Albania.