The bill proposes amendments to the Law on the Maintenance Guarantee Fund, requiring operators to prevent individuals owing maintenance payments from gambling in-person or online. To comply, operators must crosscheck accounts with the national register of maintenance debtors using an official data display created by the Lotteries and Gambling Inspectorate. The process is similar to self-exclusion checks. The intention is to restrict debtors from using funds meant for child support on entertainment and hobbies. Additional restrictions on alimony debtors, such as firearm and vehicle ownership, are already in place.
The government submitted the bill, which has received approval from the Commission for Human Rights and Public Affairs without objections. If it passes a second and third reading and is signed into law, the restriction will come into effect on 1 April.
In April, Latvia implemented a ban on all gambling due to the Covid-19 pandemic, causing the closure of physical gambling venues and suspension of online licenses. On 9 June, the Saeima lifted the national state of emergency, allowing online gambling to resume. In the third quarter of 2020, the Latvian gaming industry generated €55.2m in revenue, a significant increase from Q2 but a 33.2% decrease compared to the previous year.
