Albanian police have dismantled a series of illegal gambling operations across Tirana, Milot and Laç as part of a coordinated enforcement campaign.
The operation was reportedly launched after intelligence was received by State Police Director Skënder Hita via official email channels, prompting targeted action on the ground.
In Tirana, under the codename “Gambling Luck”, authorities uncovered four premises that had been adapted for illegal gambling using electronic machines and poker tables.
Five people were arrested, two were declared wanted, and 16 computers along with other equipment were seized.
Meanwhile, in Milot and Laç, three further premises were identified. Alongside illegal gambling, police also found evidence of drug distribution.
In these areas, three individuals were arrested, and another was declared wanted. Gambling machines, poker tables and illicit drugs were seized.
Albania has long struggled with illegal gambling, with local media describing it as a well-organised market.
In May 2025, reports from Tirana and other cities found that illegal betting brands were promoted in cafés and bars. Following media scrutiny, visible branding was removed, though illegal activity reportedly continued underground.
The illegal market was described as a pyramid structure with platform operators at the top, regional managers in the middle and bar owners enabling access at the local level.
Meanwhile, in 2024, the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Corruption and Organised Crime investigation exposed the involvement of senior police officials in criminal activity, including gambling, signalling widespread corruption.
However, the country is finally set to relaunch online sports betting following a 2019 ban on all forms of online and offline gambling, with only a few exceptions for land-based casinos.
Albania is moving towards reopening its online sports betting market after years of prohibition, with the government having legalised it in 2024 and now approving long-delayed technical standards
