Albania completed its rules for suspending or revoking online sports betting licenses on 21 July 2026. Approved by the Council of Ministers on 26 June, the framework implements Article 27/3 of Law 155/2015 and penalizes non-compliance or repeated violations.
The reform was promoted by Finance Minister Petrit Malaj. The Gambling Supervisory Authority, AMLF, will investigate violations; the Licensing Commission will assess cases, and Malaj will issue the final decision. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu signed the measure on behalf of Edi Rama.
Albana Koçiu
A second related violation within three years may trigger a suspension; a third may result in revocation proceedings. An inspector must send the case to the AMLF’s head within ten days, after which the authority has another ten days to forward it to the Commission. The Commission will have 20 days to hear the operator and five days to submit its recommendation. The Finance Ministry must decide within 30 days. Suspensions may last from 30 days to two years, during which no betting operations are permitted.
The regime stems from Law 18/2024, approved on 15 February 2024, published on 12 March and effective from 1 April. It allows ten ten-year licenses exclusively for online sports betting; retail betting shops, online casinos and online poker are not authorised.
Edi Rama
Applicants must be Albania-based joint-stock companies, maintain ALL40 million in capital, demonstrate three years of experience across three EU or OECD countries and report ALL2 billion in previous turnover. Applications will cost ALL500,000, with a 45-day submission period. Operators must provide ALL120 million to guarantee winnings and ALL50 million to the regulator.
The 100-point assessment awards 30 points each for financial offer and experience, 20 for organisation, 15 for technology and five for the business plan. Payments must be bank-based and monitored. Players must register, be at least 18 and may self-exclude. Operators will contribute 15% to a fund supporting sports, culture, innovation and technology. As of 21 July, Albania has announced no successful bidders, licensed operators or official launch date.
