Riga to close gaming venues in city and neighborhoods

The City Council of Riga, Latvia’s capital, is going to close down all gaming venues in the city, including the downtown and neighborhoods.

Riga Mayor, Nils Usakovs has asked the municipality’s Legal Affairs Department and Urban Development Department to prepare a decree that will revoke all gaming venues’ licenses in Riga, except for those given to four- and five-star hotels.

According to the Law on Gambling, if the operation of gambling on the particular premises creates a substantial impairment to the interests of the State and the residents of the respective administrative area, the city or the local government council is entitled to terminate the permit to establish a casino, a gambling hall, a bingo hall, a betting or a wagering shop and to operate the respective type of gambling on the particular premises, by means of a reasoned decision.

“This is one task that we have to accomplish. We made the first step in 2017 when we banned gaming venues in the historical center of the city. At the same time, it is clear that the problem of gambling is the worst in the neighborhoods of Riga. That is why the municipality has to do everything in its power to finally make Riga a city completely free of gambling,” said Usakovs.

To stay up to date with the latest changes in the Baltic region make sure you register here for the second edition of the Mare Balticum Gaming Summit. The conference will take place on the 9th of May at Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel in Vilnius (Lithuania).