Albania Clears Final Rules Ahead of Sportsbook Licensing
The latest development moves the country away from writing rules and closer to letting operators compete for market access. Albania’s Gambling Supervision Authority said in July that all eight implementing regulations required under the new system had been completed.
The final measures covered license suspension and revocation as well as the management of gambling-related funds. No license is available yet.
Licensing Is Now the Next Step
The next move belongs to the Licensing Commission. It will decide when to open the competitive procedure and how many permits to offer. Albanian law allows a maximum of 10 online sportsbook licenses.
Once a round is approved, the official application notice must be published within seven days. The notice must also be published internationally, widening the process beyond the domestic market.
The Bidding Pool Will Be Narrow
The entry requirements leave little room for small or inexperienced betting companies. An applicant must operate through an Albanian joint-stock company and demonstrate gambling experience in at least three EU or OECD markets. It must also show turnover of at least ALL2 billion in the previous financial year and hold at least ALL40 million in share capital.
Candidates will be ranked under a 100-point system. The financial offer and industry experience are worth up to 30 points each. Governance accounts for 20 points, technology for 15 and the three-year business plan for five.
The license fee starts at ALL400 million, or about €4 million, spread across a 10-year term. Licensed companies will also pay corporation and local taxes, while 15% of GGR will go to a special fund supporting areas including sport, culture and technology.
The Ban Left a Large Offshore Market
Albania is not starting from zero. The 2019 restrictions removed legal betting shops and online operators, but wagering continued outside the regulated system. Estimates from Gambling Compliance International put unregulated online sports betting GGR at $126 million in 2025, compared with $117 million in 2024. Add online casino and poker, and estimated unregulated online GGR reached $229 million last year.
That is the market licensed sportsbooks will be trying to pull back. The old retail model will not return. Betting shops and slot halls remain prohibited. Legal sports wagering will be online only, with verified player accounts and digital payments forming part of the regulatory setup.
The Calendar Is Still Missing
Authorities have yet to announce when applications will open. The Licensing Commission has also not said whether all 10 possible permits will be offered at once.
Albania has finally reached the point where drafting rules is no longer the main obstacle. The signal to watch now is the first tender. If only a small number of licenses are released, the reopening may begin as a controlled first phase rather than a full-scale market launch.