Casino Albania: What the 2019 Ban Changed and What Is Still Allowed

Short answer: casino Albania rules are the strictest in our region. Law 75/2018 closed online casino from 1 January 2019, and it is still closed. Law 18/2024 allows online sports betting again, but no licence had been issued as of August 2026, so there is no licensed online gambling site in Albania today. Land casinos are allowed only in five-star hotels and resorts, the minimum age is 21, winnings are taxed at 15% (including wins from abroad), and the regulator’s website is offline. This page is information only: there is no list of operators because there are none to list.

Below we set out the law and its three main reforms, what is still allowed, the 2024 betting law and why it has not produced a licence, blocking, tax and the land casinos in Tirana. For the region as a whole see the Balkan Gambling home page.

Albanian gambling law at a glance

The gambling law and the 2019 ban

Albanian gambling is governed by Law 155/2015 “Për lojërat e fatit” (on games of chance). It has been amended three times: by Law 140/2016, by Law 75/2018 and by Law 18/2024. The consolidated text up to 2018 survives only as the regulator’s own copy in the web archive.

The reform that changed the market was Law 75/2018, adopted on 25 October 2018 (it is sometimes cited wrongly as 74/2018). Its Article 7 added a new paragraph 2/1 to Article 71: sports betting, track betting and remote electronic games, which is the law’s term for online casino, could operate only until 31 December 2018, and all new applications were prohibited. From 1 January 2019, VLT-type games could run only in a “kazino” or “resort kazino” tied to five-star hotels and resorts. The National Lottery and TV bingo continued.

Timeline

Online sports betting: the 2024 law without a licence

Law 18/2024 was adopted on 15 February 2024 and published in Fletorja Zyrtare 45/2024. According to law-firm and auditor summaries, it brings back online sports betting only, through a maximum of ten licences awarded by tender. Sources disagree on whether it took effect on 27 March or 1 April 2024, and we could not download the gazette text to settle it. A government decision of 26 March 2026 (VKM 194) reportedly set the tender criteria.

Two and a half years later, the market is still empty. On 10 August 2026 the Ministry of Finance told the investigative network BIRN that the licensing tender had not formally opened. As of 15 October 2026 we found no licensed online sportsbook in Albania, and no evidence that the 2024 law reopened online casino. Any website that offers Albanians online casino or betting today does so without an Albanian licence. For how licensed bookmakers work elsewhere in the region, see our Balkan betting guide.

The regulator, AMLF

Supervision belongs to AMLF, the Autoriteti i Mbikëqyrjes së Lojërave të Fatit (Gambling Supervision Authority). Its website, amlf.gov.al, did not resolve when we checked on 15 October 2026; the last archived copy we found is from 14 June 2026. There is no working official page where a player can check a licence or file a complaint online. The Ministry of Finance leads the betting reform and is the place to ask for an official position.

Blocking of gambling websites

Article 8(3) of the law lets the regulator demand immediate blocking of illegal gambling, and the telecoms regulator AKEP forwards the orders to internet providers. In a reply published in 2022, AKEP reported about 8,000 blocked domains in 2019, 132 in 2020 and 41 in 2021 up to July. No public list exists, and we could not verify whether payments to foreign sites are blocked. Article 8(1) also bans offering, assisting or inciting illegal gambling, which is why this guide promotes no operator.

Players: age, fines and tax

The minimum age is 21. Article 6(1) bars persons under 21 from gambling, and Article 39(1) admits only people over 21 to casinos. Every other country we cover uses 18. Whether Law 18/2024 set a different age for online betting is not confirmed.

We found no fine for players in the law. Article 53 targets operators: unlicensed legal persons face fines of 30 to 50 million lek per category, and natural persons who run unlicensed gambling 5 million lek. That does not make foreign sites safe. They hold no Albanian licence, can be blocked without notice, and leave you with no Albanian authority to complain to.

Tax on winnings

The income tax law, Law 29/2023, taxes winnings at 15% with no costs deducted (Art. 60(9)), withheld at source by the payer (Art. 58(1)(ç)). Residents are taxed on winnings made in Albania or abroad (Art. 60(1)(a)). A win from a foreign site is therefore taxable even though no Albanian payer withholds anything; we found no official guidance on how such a win should be declared, so ask the tax administration or an adviser. We checked the original 2023 text; later amendments were not reviewed.

Land casinos in Tirana

Most searches for a casino in Albania are about venues in Tirana, and these are the only legal form of casino gaming in the country. Since 2019, casino games and VLT-type machines are allowed only in a casino or resort casino linked to a five-star hotel or resort. Several hotel casinos operate in the capital. The age limit of 21 applies at the door, so carry an identity document. Albania has no national self-exclusion register that we could verify, and no special help programme: the Ministry of Finance told BIRN the law creates none.

Payments and currency

The currency is the Albanian lek (ALL). Under Law 18/2024, payments with future licensed betting operators are reportedly limited to Albanian banks and licensed payment institutions, with no cash. Crypto falls under Law 66/2020 on financial markets based on distributed ledger technology, but the financial supervisor says no entity holds a licence under it. Neither route makes an unlicensed gambling site lawful. Our payment methods guide covers the region.

Albania compared with its neighbours

Responsible gambling and help

We could not verify a gambling helpline or treatment centre in Albania, so we do not print a number. If gambling is causing problems, talk to your doctor, set a budget before you visit a casino, and use any limit tools the venue offers. Our responsible gambling section for Albania collects practical steps, and our online casino guide explains how licensing protects players in the countries that have a licensed market.

How we checked this page

On 15 October 2026 we read the consolidated Law 155/2015 and Law 75/2018 from the regulator’s archived copies (articles 6, 8, 9, 39, 53 and 71), tried to download Law 18/2024 from the official gazette (the server timed out), checked that amlf.gov.al does not resolve, read AKEP’s published reply on blocked domains, and read Law 29/2023 on income tax (articles 58 and 60). For the status of the betting tender we relied on BIRN’s report of the Ministry of Finance’s answer of 10 August 2026. Written by Maja Horvat, reviewed by Stefan Nikolić. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Frequently asked questions about casinos in Albania

Is online casino allowed in Albania?

No. Law 75/2018 amended the gambling law so that remote electronic games, which covers online casino, could operate only until 31 December 2018, and all new applications were prohibited. Online casino has been closed since 1 January 2019. We found no evidence that the 2024 amendment reopened it.

Is online sports betting allowed in Albania?

A 2024 law (Law 18/2024) allows online sports betting again, reportedly through up to ten licences awarded by tender. As of August 2026 no licence had been issued: the Ministry of Finance told BIRN on 10 August 2026 that the tender had not formally opened. So there is still no licensed online sportsbook in Albania.

What is the minimum gambling age in Albania?

The minimum age is 21. Article 6(1) of Law 155/2015 bars persons under 21 from gambling, and Article 39(1) admits only people over 21 to casinos. That makes Albania the only country in our region where the limit is not 18. We could not confirm whether Law 18/2024 changed the age for online betting.

Can you play in a casino in Tirana?

Yes, for adults over 21. Since the 2019 reform, casino games and VLT-type machines are allowed only in a casino or resort casino, which the law ties to five-star hotels and resorts. Several hotel casinos operate in Tirana. Bring an identity document, as the age limit is strictly 21.

Are gambling winnings taxed in Albania?

Yes. Under the income tax law (Law 29/2023), winnings are taxed at 15% with no costs deducted, withheld at source by the payer. Residents are taxed on winnings made in Albania or abroad, so a win from a foreign site is still taxable even though that site has no Albanian licence.

Who regulates gambling in Albania?

The supervisory authority is AMLF (Autoriteti i Mbikëqyrjes së Lojërave të Fatit). Its website, amlf.gov.al, did not resolve when we checked on 15 October 2026; the last archived copy dates from June 2026. The Ministry of Finance leads the 2024 betting reform. Ask the ministry if you need an official answer.

Are gambling sites blocked in Albania?

Yes. Article 8(3) of the gambling law lets the regulator demand immediate blocking, and the telecoms regulator AKEP passes the orders to internet providers. AKEP reported about 8,000 blocked domains in 2019, 132 in 2020 and 41 in the first seven months of 2021. There is no public list.