Official language: Latvian
Population: 2,261,100
Currency: Lats (LVL)

Current Exchange Rate
1 EUR = 0.7066 LVL
1 GBP = 0.7747 EUR
1 USD = 0.4724 LVL

Quick links
Online casinos in Latvia
Online poker in Latvia
Online sportsbooks in Latvia
Online bingo in Latvia

Gambling in Latvia
Latvia has recently been described as one of Europe's most vibrant and growing gambling markets, but it was not always a good place for gambling. Throughout much if Latvia's recent history, gambling was illegal. In the 50s it was permitted to bet on horse races at the Hippodrome in Riga, but after fire destroyed the venue in '63, it was made illegal again. It was not until the early 90s, when the country regained its independence, that gambling was legalized.

In 1991, the first casino appeared. Now the country has fifty. The development of the Latvian gambling industry was fast and strong at the beginning, partly due to lack of regulation. As laws tightened things slowed down a bit, but Latvia remains with a strong gambling culture.

Online Gambling in Latvia
In 2003, online gambling was legalized. All gambling websites licensed to take Latvian customers are required to pay a 10% gambling tax on all revenues. This does put some pressure on internet gambling sites, but the market in Latvia is strong enough that it is worthwhile.

In recent news, Playtech has launched Live Dealer games for the European market, and chose Riga as the headquarters for its operations because of their relaxed laws regarding internet gambling. Perhaps in time, Latvia will become a strong player in the online gambling world.