VILNIUS, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- New gaming sector regulations, including more strict control of gaming machines and enhanced supervision of gambling providers, have been adopted on Tuesday by the Lithuanian parliament.
Members of the parliament unanimously voted for amendments to the Law on Gaming which oblige gambling companies to connect all gaming machines into a new electronic control system.
The system will let regulators better control the activities and data of slot machines, thus will lead to more effective gaming supervision, higher data security and accounting transparency, the parliament said in its statement.
"Adoption of the amendments will ensure more fair gaming operations, more effective money laundering prevention, transparent and effective accounting and control system," Vilius Sapoka, Lithuania's minister of finance, was quoted as saying in a separate statement released by the ministry.
According to the ministry, similar regulations are in effect in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Estonia and are being implemented in neighboring Latvia.
The law amendments also foresee installing of non-stop operating digital video recording systems in all gaming places such as gaming machines halls, betting and totalisator stations, in order to trace persons arriving to gambling, monitor gamers and workers responsible for cash operations, the parliamentary statement read.
The changes will be implemented after a transitional period. The gaming companies will be able to voluntarily connect to electronic control system as of November 1, 2019, while it will become obligatory as of November 1, 2021. Meanwhile, digital video recording systems must be installed by the end of 2019.
Lithuania's Gaming Control Authority under the Ministry of Finance will be responsible for enhanced gaming operations supervision, the law states. Enditem
