LSM investigation highlights lighter rules for Latvia’s state lottery
Tuesday 3rd November 2026 on 19:01 in
Latvia
Latvian public broadcaster LSM reports that its investigative programme Aizliegtais paņēmiens is examining Latvijas Loto, the state-owned lottery company with a legal monopoly on nationwide lotteries. The programme contrasts the rules governing the company with restrictions imposed on private gambling businesses.
Private casinos, gambling halls and betting operators must be licensed. Players must be at least 18, advertising is barred outside gambling venues, and gambling halls have been pushed out of city centres. Their number in Latvia has fallen to about a quarter of what it was 20 years ago, the report says.
Latvijas Loto, by contrast, operates under recommendations rather than comparable restrictions, according to the programme. Its products include SuperBingo, Eurojackpot, Latloto, more than 20 instant-win lotteries and about 60 online games, for a total of 93 products.
The report says Latvian residents spend an average of 57 euros each on lottery tickets per year. Latvijas Loto’s annual turnover rose from 25 million euros a decade ago to 106 million last year, while the average wage in Latvia doubled over the same period.
The company says 87% of ticket revenue returns to society. It estimates that, from every euro spent, 63 cents go to prizes, 24 cents to the state budget through taxes and dividends, eight cents to company operations and televised draws, and five cents to retailers.
The state received 24.5 million euros from Latvijas Loto last year. This year, the government is taking the company’s entire profit from last year, amounting to 11.6 million euros, as dividends.
Unlike gambling venues, lottery ticket sales do not involve routine ID checks, and the law sets no minimum age for buying a ticket, the programme says. Instant-win tickets are sold at around 1,200 outlets, including Narvesen, Rimi, Maxima and Circle K. The report says advertising is permitted and that minors can buy tickets without difficulty, raising questions about whether lotteries should be treated as gambling and how early exposure may encourage dependence.