Online casinos accepting players from Albania

In the past, several decades ago, gambling was banned in many countries. It was considered a harmful habit and a bad influence on the country’s economy. That’s until some governments realized that implementing taxation on gambling revenue or turnover would come quite beneficial for the economy. 

Many countries decided to regulate and legalize gambling for those reasons, but many because they wanted to avoid gambling-related health and financial problems with their citizens.

In the Balkan, for instance, when communism existed, gambling was banned. But when countries freed themselves from communist politics, they started creating their own rules and laws regarding the activity.

Albania…

… for instance, after getting rid of such politics in April 1992, with the election of the first non-communist government, removed the prohibition on gambling. Since 1924, this is the first time gambling in Albania was legal. 

Following the liberalization of land-based gambling in the country, lotteries and sportsbetting flourished and became very popular. Many gaming halls and shops were opened, by both domestic and foreign operators, and the industry was at its peak. 

The biggest land-based casino…

.. .opened in late 2005, and offered over 240 gaming machines and 21 tables for players to enjoy, called Regency Casino Tirana. But it was only in 2008 when the Parliament passed the Law on Gambling No. 10 033/2008, establishing a framework for the operation and organisation of: 

• Tele bingo;
• Sportsbetting; 
• Casino gambling;
• National lottery; 
• Bingo;
• Betting on racing; 
• Electronic casino (non-casino electronic gaming machines). 

Naturally, the framework also established a Gambling Monitoring Unit (GMU) to oversee, monitor and enforce regulations and taxation. The taxes were varying, depending on the games the operators chose to offer. Sportsbetting and lottery were subject to 10% of gross turnover tax. The tax for bingo was ALL300 to 500k per bingo hall, non-casino gaming machines ALL100 to 400k plus 20k per gaming machine, while race betting ALL2m per company, ALL40k per facility and ALL40k per electronic betting terminal.

Casino taxes depended on the tables offered. Roulette tables were subject to ALL80k per table, gaming machines ALL60k per machine and card games tables 600k per table.

In 2013…

… GMU launched a nationwide operation to bust and shut down illegal gambling operations, unlicensed gaming machines, sportsbetting and casinos included. Believe it or not, the operation to put an end to illegal gambling in Albania continued until 2015 and succeeded in shutting down over 1,500 illegal gambling facilities.

Legal Online Gambling in Albania

In the meantime, online gambling appeared on the scene. Many international operators were targeting the Albanian market, and Albanian players were enjoying the variety of games at their disposal. 

However, as the government saw the level of funds that were leaving the country while keeping in mind the poor economy, it started taking measures to put an end to online gambling. 

The Parliament in 2015… 

… passed the Law on Gambling in the Republic of Albania No.155/2015, in which several new regulations were introduced, along with restrictions to interactive gambling. The new regulations included the establishment of a Central Online Monitoring System, to which all electronic gambling equipment would be connected for oversight and tax calculation purposes. A new tax regime was also introduced, setting a flat rate of monthly 15% of turnover, and annually 3% of turnover for all products except betting and land-based casinos. The new law was to take effect from February 2016. 

In December 2016, Novomatic purchased Lotaria Kombëtare, the National Lottery operator, which holds the license to operate the national lottery until 2022. Two years later, the majority in Parliament voted in favour of amending the gambling tax regime. Land-based operators were supposed to pay 15% of gross win instead of 15% of turnover now. The new tax rate was to take effect from January 2019. 

Prohibitions returned, though…

… when Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that all operators of gambling facilities, including slot parlours, casinos, and betting shops, will need to relocate their operations outside of residential areas from December 2018. A prohibition on gambling advertising was implemented as well, and media outlets were ordered to cease all gambling advertising effective immediately. 

Edi Rama…

… also stated that GMU would begin working on a new regulatory framework that would include licensing gambling via the internet, but, he added that no new licenses would be awarded, hence, no international operators nor new domestic operators would have the chance to apply for a license. 

In the meantime, Parliament passed legislation to prohibit both land-based and online gambling outside of designated tourist areas. Scheduled to come into force in January 2019, the new Law No. 75/2018 prohibited retail betting outlets and gaming machine parlours in residential areas as well as all forms of interactive gambling. The national lottery, of course, was outside the scope of the new legislation. 

The prohibition of online gambling…

… and retail betting outlets and gaming machine parlours in residential areas was signed into Law No. 75/2018 by President Ilir Meta. It came into force on the 1^st of January 2019. 

Therefore, online gambling in Albania is not legal, nor regulated. International online gambling operators still target local citizens but with blacklisting and ISP blocking in place, players’ access to these sites is very limited. Due to the complexity of online gambling regulation, as seen by other countries, the Albanian authorities promised to look into and try to reach a well-studied conclusion on what could happen with online gambling in the future. 

Albania Online Casinos

As mentioned land-based casinos are present in Albania, in tourist areas, but not in residential areas. Online casinos, on the other hand, are prohibited. The situation with online gambling in the country is still a status quo, and no new developments have been made. However, at the moment, online gambling is still prohibited. International operators are being blacklisted and players’ access to their sites is blocked. 

However… 

… there are hundreds and hundreds of online casinos available today, so not all are blocked and blacklisted, meaning Albanian players still have a chance to find one and join. 

The task here would be finding a safe and trustworthy casino to join, considering some of the most popular brands have already been blacklisted and blocked. But should Albanian players really want to find a casino, they could do so with the aid of several tips. 

An online casino…

… is safe if it holds a license to operate by a respected regulatory body. These regulators monitor and evaluate their licensees’ operations, and make sure operators are compliant with the gambling rules and are treating players with respect. Some of the countries with the toughest, strictest regulators are the UK, Sweden, and Malta, among others. An online casino licensed by any of these jurisdictions would be a great choice. 

Player protection in online gambling is essential, especially when you’re playing from a country that doesn’t have your back. Therefore, make sure you join a site that has a license, because licensed online casinos are required to provide players with ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) services, usually provided by eCOGRA, one of the most trusted third-party auditors, a testing company and certified ADR services provider.

Games at Albania Online Casinos

A massive choice of games is also important, since currently, in order to gamble in Albania, you would have to travel to the touristic areas to find the games you like. Online, though, you can have a huge collection of games to choose from. 

Most online casino sites are not only focused on providing one category of games but multiple. Therefore, at one single online casino, you could find games in the following categories:

• Sportsbetting on global markets;
• Online casino games: roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, etc.;
• Slot machines: video slots, progressive jackpot slots, classic slots;
• International lotteries; 
• Bingo games; 
• Live Casino games. 

These games are…

… provided by world-class developers, therefore, are extremely popular amongst worldwide online casino players. Going through the games portfolio at international online casino sites, you will see titles released by huge names in the industry. Most of these developers create games from all of the above mentioned categories, such as NetEnt, Playtech, Pragmatic Play and, of course, Microgaming. Some are focused on Live Casino games alone, such as Evolution Gaming and Authentic Gaming, and some on slots, such as Endorphina. 

Mobile Betting 

Latest statistics show that more than 50% of gaming and gambling globally is being done on mobile devices. It seems like players now prefer going out and playing their favourite games on the go, on their smartphones and tablets. Gone are the times when we would be stuck at home playing games on our personal computers and laptops. 

Gambling on mobile devices…

… gives players the chance to place bets wherever they are, whenever they want, and this convenience cannot be replaced with anything. Our smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, therefore, it was only natural for gambling to go mobile. 

Albanian players, just like players from other countries, can engage in mobile gambling. The majority of online casinos that exist today have their websites optimized for gambling on smartphones and tablets. Some have even created apps that players can download to get access to their casinos within a few clicks. Therefore, as long as they actually get access to an online casino and manage to sign up, they are free to play their games via a browser on any iOS and Android-run device. 

Albania Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods 

Considering Albanian players have very limited access to online casinos, and operators are being monitored by Albanian authorities and blocked if caught offering their services to players from the country, playing at online casinos for real money should be made with caution. 

It is not impossible to gamble online without being noticed, but it requires some precautions. Albanian players cannot use payment methods where the money goes from and to their bank account. The authorities are also monitoring citizens’ bank accounts in their hunt for unlicensed operators. So credit and debit cards such as VISA, Maestro, MasterCard, VISA Electron, as well as bank transfers are off-limit.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, hence, cryptocurrencies are viable options. No one traces your transactions when playing with cryptocurrencies. 

But no one does when gambling online with eWallets either. The eWallet is a middle man. It is your link between your bank account and your casino, yet a safe way for you to make gambling-related transactions. Great, first-class eWallets you could use include:

• WebMoney;
• PayPal;
• Skrill;
• ecoPayz;
• Neteller.

FAQs

1. How old should an Albanian player be to gamble at international online casinos?

- The minimum gambling age in Albania is 18, and so it is at international online casinos. Some online casinos, though, accept players which are 21 or older. 

2. Can I use Safari to gamble online?

- Yes. Most online casinos are fully functional via any browser, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari included. 

3. Where can I see whether eWallets are accepted payment methods?

- Go to any online casino’s homepage, and at the bottom, you’ll find the logos of all the payment methods accepted. If they are not displayed there, try the Banking page, or the Frequently Asked Questions page. If no information can be found there, just contact the Customer Support for answers.

4. How can I be sure whether the casino accepts players from Albania or not?

- There is a dedicated restricted countries list on the Terms and Conditions page at online casinos. But, also, when you start the registration process, if the country you've entered, in this case, Albania, is not accepted, you won't be able to create an account with that casino.

5. How long does it take for withdrawals to reach the eWallet account?

- As soon as the casino approves it, the withdrawal is instantly transferred to your eWallet account. From there, you’ll need to transfer it to your bank account, and that will take some more time. 

6. Is there an online casino that offers gambling in Albanian?

- Most popular online casinos offer gambling in many languages, therefore, it is possible to find one that offers gambling in Albanian. 

7. Can I download an app on my iPhone?

- This depends on the casino, whether it has an app and whether that app is available for iOS users. But don’t worry, there are many iPhone casinos that you can join. 

8. Can an Albanian player claim bonuses and promotions at international online casinos?

- Yes. As long as the casino you’ve chosen accepts Albanian players, you should have no problems with claiming bonuses. If there are country restrictions, the casino will have them displayed on the offer itself. 

9. Is the Albanian lek an accepted currency at international online casinos?

- Most online casinos accept payments in all applicable currencies, which are subject to exchange fees. However, there are casinos that have a restricted list of accepted currencies, so you should double-check this before you join an online casino. 

10. Will online gambling ever become legal in Albania?

- This is difficult to predict, considering the gambling history in the country. Governments and politicians change, so anything could happen. Considering the latest news from the country, it is no wonder that improvements could be made.