Latvian bill proposes to ban alimony debtors from gambling

The bill has passed its first reading and is scheduled for a second on January 20.

Latvia.- A bill that proposes to ban alimony debtors from gambling has passed its first reading at Latvia’s national legislature, the Saeima.

The bill proposes amendments to the Law on the Maintenance Guarantee Fund including a requirement that would mean gaming operators have to ensure that they do not allow those who owe maintenance payments to gamble, be it in person or online.

Operators would be forced to check accounts with the national register of maintenance debtors. The national Lotteries and Gambling Inspectorate would create an official data display for licensees to consult.

The process would be similar to performing a self-exclusion check, legislators suggest.

The legislature said: “The restriction is intended to prevent debtors who do not provide maintenance they owe for a child from using funds unreasonably for entertainment and hobbies.”

It noted that restrictions prohibiting alimony debtors from the ownership of firearms and certain vehicles were are already in place.

A second reading of the bill is scheduled for January 20. It will then face a third reading and, if approved and signed into law, will enter force from April 1.

Latvian gaming revenue saw a recovery in November following the country’s temporary suspension of all gaming during its initial Covid-19 lockdown.