Is online gambling legal in Albania?
Online sports betting is allowed in Albania, but only through a licence from the Gambling Supervisory Authority (AMLF), and on 8 October 2026 AMLF had licensed no online sports-betting company. Online casino and online poker cannot be licensed at all, so there is no legal route for them: a site offering them is not licensed in Albania and AMLF can ask for it to be blocked. The gambling law does not fine players for playing, but an unlicensed site gives you no Albanian protection.
| Product | Online |
|---|---|
| Online betting | Legal |
| Online casino | Illegal |
| Online poker | Illegal |
| Lottery | Legal |
Gambling in Albania: what you need to know
The minimum age for online sports betting is 21. Operators must withhold 15% tax from winnings before paying you, although the law exempts some online sports-betting winnings and does not say which. Licensed operators will have to offer deposit limits, keep out people on the national self-exclusion register and answer a complaint within 30 days; if you are not satisfied you can complain to AMLF.
What's legal online in Albania: sports betting only
Sports betting
Albania has reopened online sports betting licensing for up to 10 licences, but on 8 October 2026 none had been issued and the licensing competition had not been opened. There is no Albanian-licensed online bookmaker yet. The regulator, AMLF, can ask for unlicensed sites to be blocked. The Gambling Law and the Criminal Code articles read punish those who organise or run unlicensed gambling, not the player.1
Online casino, live dealer, slots and poker
No licence can be obtained for any of these online: the law bars every application for remote electronic games, and AMLF states that no entity is licensed for online games of chance. Casino tables and slot machines exist only in licensed land-based halls, where the playing age is 21.2
Lottery
The National Lottery is the only lottery licence, and it may be sold in shops, through an online network, on the internet or by mobile phone. AMLF's page says that at present there is no licensed entity in that category. The playing age for online lottery play is not stated.3
Televised bingo
One company, National Sh.A, holds the televised bingo licence. The draw is on national television, and tickets can be sold in shops, through an online network, on the internet or by mobile phone. The minimum age is 18.4
- 1AMLF: 'Baste Sportive Online' category page
- 2Law 155/2015 'Per lojerat e fatit ne Republiken e Shqiperise', consolidated text updated to Law 18/2024 (AMLF-hosted PDF)
- 3AMLF: 'Lotaria Kombetare' category page
- 4AMLF: 'Subjekte te licencuara' (all category lists on one page)
Gambling with crypto: Not regulated.
Minimum age: 21
- Minimum age (online sports betting): 21. Players under 21 are not accepted; 21 also applies in gaming halls ↗
Online casino: Not applicable: online casino cannot be licensed. Sports betting: 21. Lottery: 18 in National Lottery and televised bingo premises; the age for online lottery play is not stated. Online sports betting: 21 (Ministry of Finance payments instruction of 5 June 2026: players under 21 are not accepted). Gaming premises: 21 under Law 155/2015, with 18 only for National Lottery and televised bingo premises. Admitting an underage player is fined ALL 500,000.
Tax on winnings: 15%
The operator withholds 15% from each payment of winnings and pays it to the tax office. There is no deduction for what you staked and we found no tax-free threshold. The Gambling Law says individual income from online and track sports betting is not taxed where the winnings are not subject to predefined profit margins set by the organiser, but nothing explains which bets that covers, and the tax office tells operators to withhold on all categories of gambling, so expect 15% to be withheld. Residents are taxed on winnings from games held in Albania or abroad; non-residents only on winnings from games held in Albania. No online sports-betting operator is licensed yet, so none withholds today.
How to check a site is licensed in Albania
No operator holds an active online licence in Albania as of 19 Oct 2026.
No private operator holds a licence here, so a private site taking deposits from players in Albania is not licensed locally, whatever licence it shows from elsewhere.
The official register of licensed sitesGambling Supervisory Authority (AMLF - Autoriteti i Mbikëqyrjes së Lojërave të Fatit)'s website
If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.
Red flags: how to spot an unlicensed site
- Check the company on AMLF's licensed list
AMLF publishes licensed entities by category, with name, address, tax number and status. The online sports-betting list is empty (8 October 2026), so treat any site claiming an Albanian online sports-betting licence with caution.
- No online casino or poker licence exists
These products cannot be licensed in Albania, so a casino or poker site claiming an Albanian licence is not telling the truth.
- Payments in your own name through an Albanian provider
Licensed online sports betting takes payments only through Bank of Albania-licensed payment providers based in Albania. Deposits must come from a card, e-wallet or payment account in your own name; cash is not allowed, and withdrawals go back to the same instrument.
- Minimum age 21
A licensed online sports-betting site must not accept players under 21 and must verify your identity document and age before you can play or deposit.
- Expect 15% tax to be withheld from winnings
The operator withholds 15% from each payment of winnings. The law exempts some online sports-betting winnings, but the condition is not explained, so do not rely on a site that promises tax-free winnings.
- Use the player-protection tools
Licensed sites must let you set limits on deposits, play or losses, offer a self-exclusion service of up to 24 hours, and keep out people who are on AMLF's national register of persons barred from gambling (3 months, 6 months, 1 year or permanent). We found no AMLF notice that the electronic register is live.
Bonuses: what's allowed and red flags
What you can expect from a licensed site's offers in Albania. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.
- Welcome bonus
- No rule on bonus terms; no licensed online operator yet
No Albanian rule sets the wagering conditions of bonuses, free bets or free spins, and neither the advertising rules nor the technical standards for betting platforms limit or define a welcome bonus. A 2026 payments instruction does say that bonus money is not your own money until you meet the operator’s conditions for it, that it is kept apart from your real balance, and that you cannot withdraw it before then. Bonus advertising is bound only by the general content rules: not misleading about winnings and not presenting gambling as an opportunity to win. No online sports-betting operator is licensed, so no operator can lawfully offer one today.
Which casinos & betting sites are licensed in Albania?
See the full official list of licensed operators and their authorised domains.
Changes to Albania's gambling rules
Official changes that affect players, newest first, each with the document it comes from. A change marked not yet in our report is confirmed in the official text but not yet worked into our research report and the answers on this page.
- 27 Feb 2026amlf.gov.alNot yet in our reportVKM nr. 114/2026 – Gambling participation restriction register
Players or eligible family members can request exclusion, and players can request cancellation no earlier than three months after the exclusion decision takes effect.
In force since 2 Nov 2026Added 4 Nov 2026 · not in the reviewed editionOfficial source: amlf.gov.al document
Official words and what it touches
“Publikimi i formularëve standardë në zbatim të VKM nr. 114, datë 27.2.2026 Autoriteti i Mbikëqyrjes së Lojërave të Fatit (AMLF), në zbatim të Vendimit të Këshillit të Ministrave nr. 114, datë 27.2.2026, “Për krijimin, mbajtjen dhe funksionimin e regjistrit elektronik të personave, për të cilët është vendosur moslejimi për t’u futur në ambientet e lojërave të fatit, në faqe interneti, në aplikacione ose në platformë elektronike, ku mund të luhen lojërat e fatit, sipas kategorisë së licencuar, si dhe rregullat për paraqitjen, shqyrtimin, miratimin, anulimin apo refuzimin e kërkesës për moslejimi”
- Document
- vkm nr 114 2026 regjistri i moslejimit te pjesemarrjes ne lojerat e fatit dhe formularet standarde · amlf.gov.al document
- Report answers
- 1.07 What are the latest material amendments?; 8.01 What is the minimum gambling age?; 8.02 What information is required at registration?; 8.03 When must identity be verified?; 8.10 Are closed-loop payment rules required?; 8.13 Is there a national self-exclusion register?; and 7 more
- Status
- Accepted as a law change on 4 Nov 2026; the next Albania research pass rewrites those answers from the official text.
Our daily watch reads the official publishers we follow for Albania. A change is listed once it has been checked against the official document, by a person or, where marked, by our automated check. Dates are the official dates, not the day we found the change.
Self-exclusion and problem-gambling help in Albania
- Self-exclusion: 3 months to permanent. Register choices are 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or permanent; requests are made in writing until the electronic register is set up, and AMLF has not announced that it is live ↗
- Payments: Own name only. Deposits from a card, account or e-wallet in your name; cash and third-party payments are not allowed ↗
Registering blocks your access to the licensed operators the scheme covers, for the period the scheme sets.
Set your limits before you play. If gambling stops being fun, stop and talk to someone.
Complaints and disputes in Albania
- 1
1. Complain to the operator
Licensed online sports-betting operators must have a documented complaints procedure, publish how to complain, and reply with reasons within 30 calendar days. No online operator is licensed yet, so there is none to complain to today.
- 2
2. Complain to AMLF
If you are not satisfied with the operator's reply, you have the right to complain to the Gambling Supervisory Authority (AMLF). AMLF invites reports by e-mail and telephone; it opens an inspection of a licensed betting organiser on the basis of a referral or complaint. The law sets no formal individual redress procedure and no power to order a refund is stated.
- 3
3. Courts
There is no independent alternative-dispute-resolution body for gambling disputes, so the remaining route is the courts. General consumer-protection routes were not checked.
Common myths about gambling in Albania
- MythSince online sports betting is legal again, online casino and poker sites are legal too.Reality
No. Only online sports betting was reopened. Online casino and poker cannot be licensed in Albania at all, and the Gambling Supervisory Authority (AMLF) states that no company is licensed for online games. A site offering them is not licensed in Albania and can be blocked.
- MythThere is already a licensed online sportsbook in Albania.Reality
Not yet. The law allows up to 10, but on 8 October 2026 AMLF's list of licensed online sports-betting companies was empty and the competition for the licences had not been opened. A site claiming an Albanian online sports-betting licence should be checked against AMLF's list.
- MythMy gambling winnings are tax-free.Reality
Generally not. Operators withhold 15% from winnings. The law does exempt individual income from online and track sports betting where the winnings are not subject to predefined profit margins set by the organiser, but nothing explains which bets that covers, so expect the 15% to be withheld.
- MythPlayers are fined for using an unlicensed site.Reality
The gambling law we read sets fines for organisers and unlicensed organisers, not for players. But an unlicensed site gives you no Albanian protection, and AMLF can ask for it to be blocked.
Frequently asked questions about gambling in Albania
Are gambling winnings taxed in Albania?
Yes. The operator withholds 15% from each payment of winnings and pays it to the tax office, with no deduction for what you staked, and we found no tax-free threshold. The Gambling Law exempts individual income from online and track sports betting where the winnings are not subject to predefined profit margins set by the organiser, but nothing explains which bets that covers, and the tax office tells operators to withhold on all categories. Until that is clarified, expect 15% to be withheld. No online operator is licensed yet, so none withholds today.
Why can't I find any licensed online casinos in Albania?
Because none can be licensed. Albanian law lists online casino games as a licence category, but a 2018 amendment bars every licence application for them, and the Gambling Supervisory Authority (AMLF) states that no company is licensed for online games. Online poker falls in the same category. Any online casino or poker site you find is not licensed in Albania. The law does not fine players for playing, but AMLF can ask for unlicensed sites to be blocked and you would have no Albanian protection if something goes wrong.
Can I gamble with cryptocurrency in Albania?
No instrument we read mentions cryptocurrency. Licensed online sports betting runs only through payment providers based in Albania and licensed by the Bank of Albania, deposits must come from a card, e-wallet or payment account in your own name, and cash is not allowed. Whether crypto can be used through such a provider is not stated. No online sports-betting operator is licensed yet.
How can I file a complaint against a gambling operator in Albania?
Start with the operator: licensed online sports-betting operators must have a documented complaints procedure, publish how to complain, and reply with reasons within 30 calendar days. If you are not satisfied, you can complain to AMLF ([email protected], +355 4 450 0387). There is no independent dispute-resolution body for gambling disputes; the other route is the courts. No online operator is licensed yet.
Biggest wins in Albania
An anonymous winner won the top prize of 140 million old lekë (14 million new lekë) in the New Year special draw of Telebingo Shqiptare. The winner had not come forward to claim the prize after the 1 January 2017 draw.
Sources: Shqiptarja.com · JavaNews.al
Methodology & sources
The research behind our Albania coverage
Counted across every Albania page, not this page alone.
compiled 19 Oct 2026
Across every Albania page on this site: players, operators and the licence guide. The research report behind them cites official sources: the law, the regulator, the gazette, the courts and each platform’s own published advertising policy. Page sections not yet rewritten from the report may cite other sources.
Our Deep AI Scan took Albania through all 201 questions of our regulatory checklist, from 47 official documents, read on 19 Oct 2026. Our research team then traced every figure on this page to the document and sentence that states it. The full research report is reviewed by a named legal expert (12 Oct 2026). Where a fact rests on a press report or a law-firm summary rather than an official document, the page says so.
The 10 documents this page relies on most
- Law 155/2015 'Per lojerat e fatit ne Republiken e Shqiperise', consolidated text updated to Law 18/2024 (AMLF-hosted PDF)Regulator
- Fletorja Zyrtare nr. 55 of 17/03/2026: VKM nr. 151 of 11.3.2026, technical standards of the online sports betting systemRegulator
- VKM nr. 194 of 26.3.2026: criteria, deadlines, competition procedure and scoring for the online sports betting licence (AMLF-hosted PDF)Regulator
- Fletorja Zyrtare nr. 120 of 11.6.2026: Ministry of Finance Instruction nr. 13 of 5.6.2026 on payments in 'Baste sportive online'Regulator
- AMLF: Rregullore per Publicitetin e Subjekteve te Lojerave te Fatit ne Shqiperi (PDF)Regulator
- Law 29/2023 "On income tax", updated text (through law 81/2025 of 11.12.2025), as published by the tax administrationRegulator
- Expert review: Vilson Haxholli, written review of the Albania report, 12 October 2026Regulator
- AMLF: 'Subjekte te licencuara' (all category lists on one page)Regulator
- AMLF: 'Baste Sportive Online' category pageRegulator
- Law no. 9917 of 19.5.2008 'On the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing', consolidated text (latest amendment Law 37/2026 of 9.4.2026)Regulator
Also cited on this page
- AMLF: notice of 28 April 2026
- Official Gazette 138/2026: VKM 488 of 26.6.2026, suspension and revocation
- Ministry of Finance Instruction 26 of 8.9.2023 on income tax, updated (tax administration)
- AKEP reply no. 3 of January 2022 on access restrictions
- Official Gazette 45/2024: Law 18/2024
- Fletorja Zyrtare 47/2026: VKM nr. 114, 27.2.2026 (regjistri elektronik i personave të ndaluar)
- AMLF: Vendime të Këshillit të Ministrave › Mbrojtja e lojtarit › VKM nr. 114, 27.2.2026
47 documents in all. Request the full research report for every source, answer by answer.