Self-exclusion in Latvia - how it actually works

PIPARS is a state-maintained register that lets you put an official stop sign on gambling - both in person and online. You can apply in just a few minutes, remotely through Latvija.lv, and the restriction takes effect automatically. The minimum period is 12 months - no “oops, I’ve changed my mind” button. But there’s one important catch: the restriction applies only to operators regulated by Latvian law.

This is the long version of our standard responsible gambling page - more details, less guesswork, and no casino tricks involving mysteriously disappearing rules.

What is PIPARS and what does it do?

PIPARS, or the Register of Self-Excluded Persons, was established on the basis of Section 4.¹ of the Gambling and Lotteries Law. It gives everyone the opportunity to submit a written request to prohibit themselves from gambling in Latvia, including online, as well as participating in interactive lotteries. The register is managed by the Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection, and it has been operating since 1 January 2020 - so self-exclusion is an official thing, not just a promise to yourself to start a new life next Monday.

The restriction is broad wherever it applies: it covers all types of gambling and interactive lotteries specified in the law, rather than just one category of games or one particular operator. Once a person is included in the register, they can no longer legally participate in any of these activities with an operator operating under Latvian law.

PIPARS isn’t just a pretty entry in a register - its effectiveness is ensured through its connection with operator licences. Latvian-licensed gambling operators are legally required to check players against the register and prohibit those included in it from gambling. So this isn’t a voluntary gesture or a nice intention on the operator’s part - it’s a legal requirement. You can read more about the register and its legal basis on the VID page Register of Self-Excluded Persons - casinos don’t make up the rules here, and “maybe just this once” isn’t a legal argument.

How to apply - four ways

There are four ways to apply for the PIPARS register - remotely, in person, in writing at a gambling venue, or through an operator’s website. All roads lead to the same result, but the application process and the time it takes for the restriction to come into effect differ.

The simplest option is to register remotely at registrs.iaui.gov.lv, authenticating through Latvija.lv and specifying the restriction period in years, which must not be shorter than one year. In this case, the restriction takes effect automatically and immediately.

If it’s more convenient to get everything sorted in person, you can apply at the Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection by booking an appointment in advance by phone at +371 62603112 or by writing to vid@vid.gov.lv. An application submitted this way takes effect on the next working day.

You can also arrange self-exclusion in writing at any gambling venue by submitting a written application on-site. The operator forwards it to VID within three working days, and the restriction takes effect on the next working day after registration.

Another option is to use the link on an operator’s website that leads to the Inspection’s self-exclusion request section. This link must be available on every operator’s website, and the application is processed in the same way as a free-form written request - the restriction takes effect on the next working day.

If you want to get everything sorted without unnecessary conversations or middlemen, remote registration is the most direct route - a few clicks, and you can turn your attention to something other than a casino.

registrs.iaui.gov.lv → Authenticate through Latvija.lv, specify the period in years - the system adds you to the register immediately, without waiting.

A written application can be left at any gambling venue in Latvia, at any time - the operator forwards it to VID within three working days. And by law, every interactive gambling operator’s website must have a direct link to the Inspection’s request section - a route that works directly from the operator’s website where the person is already browsing. For general questions about the register itself, VID can be reached at +371 67504955 and +371 67504966.

Twelve months is the minimum

In the remote application form, the restriction period must be specified in years, and the minimum period is one year, or 12 months from the date the person is added to the register. You cannot choose a shorter period, and after submitting the application, it cannot be shortened just because you feel like it or have a change of heart. This period cannot be changed by the person, the operator, or VID.

This restriction isn’t some random bureaucratic whim. The decision to stop gambling can be particularly fragile during the first days and weeks, when the urge to return may arise. If the restriction could be lifted as easily as it is imposed, it would lose some of its purpose - much like a seat belt you can unbuckle at the very moment you need it most.

What happens after 12 months? The restriction doesn’t end automatically, but it also doesn’t extend itself forever. After the minimum period has expired, the person can request removal from the register if they wish. Until then, leaving is not possible. The rules are simple: first, you have to get through the period you chose, and only then can you decide on the next step.

What it doesn’t cover

There’s one important detail worth stating clearly: the PIPARS restriction applies only to gambling operators that operate under a Latvian licence and are subject to Latvian law. Of the 48 casinos on our list, six out of forty-eight fall into this category.

The remaining 42 casinos are outside the legal scope of this register. That doesn’t mean PIPARS isn’t working as intended - it simply means Latvian law cannot impose the same obligations on operators that don’t have a Latvian licence. For example, if a casino is licensed in Curaçao or Malta, the Latvian self-exclusion restriction does not automatically apply to it. Therefore, a person included in PIPARS can technically still register and play on such a website. The register has no legal mechanism to block this access.

To understand these limits, it’s important to understand what a gambling licence in Latvia means and how one is granted. We write about this in more detail in a separate article: how a gambling licence is granted in Latvia.

This isn’t a criticism of PIPARS. The register performs the function assigned to it by law, and all six Latvian-licensed casinos on our list are subject to the restriction, both legally and technically. But claiming that self-exclusion automatically protects you from absolutely all online gambling would be an exaggeration.

What else is available

PIPARS isn’t the only way to restrict gambling, and you don’t necessarily have to start with self-exclusion. If the situation hasn’t become serious yet, the tools offered by licensed operators can help you control your gambling habits. For example, deposit limits let you set how much money you can deposit during a specific period, while session limits restrict the length of a single gambling session. You can set these in your account settings, and they take effect immediately - without the waiting period associated with the register. Read more about how these tools work and where to find them on different operators’ websites in our safe gambling casino academy.

If limits are no longer enough, help is also available outside the gambling industry. VID has compiled a list on its support page of organisations in Latvia that provide assistance to people experiencing gambling addiction, as well as their loved ones. These include Gamblers Anonymous, the “Skalbes” association, the Minnesota programmes at “Ģintermuiža” Hospital and the Riga Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology, “Spēles brīvība”, the “Esi brīvs” association, and the drosaspele.lv campaign.

Find current contact details and information about available support on the VID support page for players. If you need help, you don’t have to wait until the situation becomes even more complicated - you can seek support earlier, too.

If you’re worried about someone else

If you’re worried not about yourself, but about someone close to you, it’s important to know that you cannot register them in the Register of Self-Excluded Persons (PIPARS) yourself. The law does not provide for this option, and none of the four registration methods allows you to submit an application on behalf of another person. The decision to self-exclude and the request to be added to the register must always be made by the person themselves.

That doesn’t mean a loved one is powerless, though. You can tell them about PIPARS and how it works, share information about the support organisations compiled by VID, or help them find suitable support.

Support is also available for loved ones themselves. The list of organisations compiled by VID includes, for example, “Spēles brīvība”, which provides support not only to people experiencing gambling problems, but also to their loved ones. Because sometimes support is needed not only by the person who gambles, but also by the person trying to help.

Read more about what SpinsPilot does in the area of responsible gambling and how we apply these principles throughout our other content on our responsible gambling page.