Estonia Not Rushing to Tighten Gambling Ad Rules
Gambling ad numbers have risen in Estonia, but authorities are in no hurry to further restrict them. Nearly half of inspected ads violated the Advertising Act, prompting discussions on balancing business freedom and consumer protection.
Estonia has seen an increase in gambling advertisements in recent years. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications is trying to strike a balance between the freedom to conduct business and consumer protection.
In 2025, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) conducted a major supervision project, inspecting 230 gambling advertisements. Of those, 104—45%—were found to be in breach of the Advertising Act. Violations included misleading advertising, warning texts not meeting legal requirements, and advertisements for games of chance that are altogether prohibited by law.
Mari-Liis Aas, a consumer protection adviser at the ministry, explained that different types of gambling are subject to different restrictions. For example, advertising games of chance—such as poker, roulette and slot machines—is generally prohibited except in specific places like gambling venues. In contrast, advertising lotteries and sports betting is more broadly permitted, though still subject to special rules.
Aas added that the Advertising Act is currently being updated, but since the process is at a very early stage, it is not yet possible to say whether or to what extent gambling advertising regulations will change in the future.
