Setting restrictions on gambling

A person who wishes to protect oneself from the negative consequences that may arise from gambling, can set restrictions on gambling for oneself.

It is possible to set restrictions on

  • games of chance (casino games),
  • totos (sports betting) and
  • classical lotteries.

No restrictions can be set on instant lotteries (lottery tickets that are scraped). Setting restrictions on gambling is optional and once the restriction has been set, you cannot change it or declare the restriction invalid.

If a person has a valid gambling prohibition, gambling operators authorised to operate in Estonia do not allow the person to gamble.

The restrictions on gambling are without a term, but when setting a restriction, the person oneself has to choose a term within the period from 6 to 36 months upon expiry of which he or she can apply for his or her deletion from the list. A separate application must be filed for the deletion from the list upon the expiry of the chosen term.

The holder of the list of persons with restrictions on gambling is the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

The easiest and fastest way to set a restriction is through the e-services environment e-MTA of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

Set restriction

List of gambling operators authorised to operate in EstoniaAssistance and advice – Consultation Centre of Gambling Addiction

People with gambling problems and those closest to them can receive assistance free of charge and get consultation from the consultation centres of gambling addiction.

Who may set restriction on gambling

Any person who wishes to restrict his or her gambling may set restrictions on gambling for oneself. It is not possible to file an application for setting restrictions to another person, for example, to a family member or a friend.

How and where can you set restriction

The easiest and fastest way to set a restriction is through the e-services environment e-MTA of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

To set the restriction:

  1. please enter the e-services environment e-MTA
  2. select Registers and inquiries – RegistrationRegistration of gambling restrictions

The restriction on gambling shall take effect no later than the day after the submission of the application.

To set the restriction at service bureau of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board an identity document, of which the service provider makes a copy, must be submitted and an application filled in.

If a person has several valid identity documents with different spellings of his or her name, the person must take all the documents with him/her and submit a separate application for each spelling of the name.

The restriction on gambling will take effect no later than within two working days after the submission of the application.

To set the restriction at a gambling operator, an identity document, of which the gambling operator makes a copy, must be submitted and an application filled in.

If a person has several valid identity documents with different spellings of his or her name, the person must take all the documents with him/her and submit a separate application for each spelling of the name.

The gambling operator will forward the application to the Estonian Tax and Customs Board without delay. The Estonian Tax and Customs Board will register the restriction on gambling within two working days after the application has been forwarded by the gambling operator.

The person can check the registration of the restriction in the e-services environment e-MTA, by selecting Registers and inquiriesRegistrationRegistration of gambling restrictions.

How the restriction can be deleted

The restriction can be deleted upon the expiry of the term that the person oneself has set out in the application.

If the application has been submitted in the e-MTA, the restriction will be deleted no later than the day following the submission of the application. If the application has been submitted at a service bureau, the restriction will be deleted no later than on the second working day following the submission of the application.

Last updated: 16.02.2024

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