EGBA takes action against a Lithuanian payment provider  

The EGBA has lodged a complaint against the Lithuanian payment provider Walletto. It claims to have found evidence suggesting that its payment services have been used to fund several illegal gambling platforms targeting European consumers.  

A complaint based on test transactions  

On 10 July 2026, the EGBA announced that it had formally referred the matter to the Bank of Lithuania. Its complaint targets Walletto, a payment service provider based in the country, for the alleged processing of transactions linked to illegal online gambling operators.  

At this stage, the EGBA states that its action is based on an investigation into illegal gambling websites and apps targeting European consumers. During these checks, test transactions were reportedly carried out on several platforms. The results of these operations revealed evidence suggesting that Walletto’s services may have been used to make deposits with some of these operators. It is on the basis of these findings that the association decided to lodge a formal complaint with the Lithuanian financial regulator.  

Payment: a vital aspect of illegal platforms 

Unauthorised platforms rely on the same financial infrastructure as legitimate businesses: they need payment service providers, institutions to process transactions, and card networks to transfer funds to their accounts. Without these channels, they would be unable to operate on a large scale. However, as long as they are able to accept deposits and process transactions, they can continue to offer their services outside the licensing regimes imposed in the European Union.  

The EGBA believes that this situation allows them to evade regulatory controls whilst reaching European consumers directly. The complaint filed in Lithuania aims to deprive illegal operators of the financial resources essential to their business.  

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EGBA, summarises the association’s objective as follows:  

“Payment service providers should not be allowed to process transactions for illegal gambling operators. Illegal operators thrive by exploiting legitimate financial channels and mainstream payment networks that consumers trust every day. Our aim is simple: to leave them no room for manoeuvre and to cut off the payment channels they use to reach European consumers.”  

Players deprived of basic protections 

The issue of payments is not solely a matter of compliance with financial regulations. It also concerns the protection of people who gamble on these platforms. 

Regulated operators are subject to obligations designed to verify their customers’ identities, prevent money laundering and limit the risks associated with problem gambling. Illegal sites offer no comparable safeguards.  

Consumers who deposit money on such sites do not necessarily benefit from rigorous identity verification. They may also find themselves without any tools to limit their stakes, suspend their activity or better control their gambling behaviour.  

The lack of effective controls also means that minors could gain access to these services. The same applies to players who have voluntarily self-excluded from regulated platforms in order to protect themselves. On an illegal site, the mechanisms designed to prevent their return may simply not exist.  

Another risk concerns the payment of winnings. When a consumer gambles with an operator that does not hold any European licence, they have no guarantee that any winnings will actually be paid out to them.  

Stricter enforcement of existing rules 

The EGBA is not merely calling for new measures to be introduced. It is also calling for a more comprehensive and consistent application of the rules already in force within the European Union.  

In particular, the association cites the European Payment Services Directive and the obligations relating to the fight against money laundering. It believes that the financial authorities should apply these measures more rigorously against service providers who facilitate transactions linked to illegal operators.  

An operator may target players in several countries, use a service provider based in another Member State and route its payments through an international network. Action limited to a single jurisdiction therefore risks shifting the problem rather than resolving it. This is why the association emphasises the need for a European-wide response. Financial sector authorities and those responsible for gambling regulation must be able to share information and take action against all the intermediaries involved. 

Cutting off payment flows rather than pursuing platforms one by one  

Closing a website or blocking an IP address is not always enough. A platform can change its name, domain or app. However, its operations become much more difficult if it loses access to payment channels. By targeting financial channels, the authorities could undermine the operators’ very ability to receive money from players.