The reason was an official appeal from the association to the Bank of Lithuania complaining about the registered payment service provider **Walletto**. According to EGBA, during its own investigation, signs were found that payments in favor of illegal online gambling operators could have been processed through the service. ### **Without banks and cards, illegal casinos will not be able to operate** EGBA emphasizes that the problem goes far beyond a single payment provider. In the organization's opinion, illegal gambling sites would not be able to operate on such a scale without access to bank cards, payment services, and other financial instruments that Europeans use daily. As long as such platforms can freely accept money from clients, they continue to operate outside the licensing and control of European regulators. ### **Players remain unprotected** Unlike licensed operators, illegal platforms are not required to comply with customer protection requirements. As noted by EGBA, such sites often lack: * player identity verification; * responsible gaming tools; * measures to prevent money laundering; * guarantees for payout of winnings. Moreover, access to such resources can be obtained by minors and individuals who have voluntarily banned themselves from participating in gambling. ### **Latvia supports the initiative** The Executive Director of the Latvian Licensed Gambling Association (LLAB), Liga Lice, stated that licensed operators in Latvia also advocate for the strictest possible restrictions on the activities of illegal sites. According to her, the existing legislation already allows for more effective combat against the shadow sector, including through the blocking of financial operations. ### **Card systems can play a key role** EGBA believes that special responsibility also lies with international card systems. They set the rules for payment networks and possess information about the movement of funds that is not available to other market participants. The association calls on financial regulators, banks, payment services, and card operators to act together to completely cut off illegal casinos from accepting money from European users. European authorities are increasingly shifting from blocking websites to combating their financial infrastructure. If EGBA's proposals are implemented, it will become significantly more difficult for players to transfer money to illegal online casinos, and such platforms may lose one of their main sources of existence.