In my last article I suggested two scenarios of how regulation of online casinos in the Baltic region of Europe would play out.  The first suggestion would be a slow transition due to old traditions dying hard.  The Baltic region only gained liberation less than twenty years ago and gambling was not legalized until 2001.  The other scenario was that since the countries are relatively new to the idea of gambling they would be receptive to online casinos and regulate them without feeling they have to protect long standing brick and mortar gambling interests.

Signs seem to indicate that the Baltic countries are very open minded about online casinos.  The ultimate example is the fact that Estonia has already legalize online casinos, but there is evidence that other countries in the region are planning to follow suit.

When online casinos first started appearing in Lithuania it was largely local companies setting up shop.  But in recent years that has changed significantly as foreign based companies found there way into the market with little to no resistance from the Lithuanian government. 

Unlike the United States that attempted desperately to apply old laws to online casinos in an effort to stop them, Lithuania admitted that its old laws did not apply to online casinos and the industry went on undisturbed.  Now, however, Lithuania lawmakers are determined to write laws that directly address online casinos and the online gambling companies.  It is very likely that this will be an attempt to regulate the industry and not to prohibit it.  Estonia is likely to be a strong example to the rest of the Baltic countries.