Betting sites still working in Albania despite legal prohibition

In spite of the new regulation that bans all forms of betting, including online betting websites, in Albania, several betting websites can be accessed from the country. The new regulation came into effect on January 1. A number of such websites are not accessible from smartphones; but they are available through laptops and desktops.

Local police have arrested two owners who kept providing online betting services in Albania. However, there is no option to block or arrest such operators from outside the country.

The government decided in November 2018 to close all betting shops, casinos and ban sports betting in the country. The Albanian parliament passed the law that bans sports betting and other forms of gambling, including the online sector, and set January 1 as the official date for the laws to come into effect.