Luxembourg's parliament was busy discussing the rising problem of gambling addiction on Thursday, with calls for the National Lottery and casinos to obtain a legal monopoly.

In a parliamentary interpellation, The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) MP Dan Biancalana asked what the government is doing to curb access to interactive gambling terminals often found in cafés. He also queried what legal measures are planned for online gambling and sports betting, urging stronger addiction-prevention efforts.

Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue said a reform is underway to establish a legal monopoly for the National Lottery and casinos. Under the proposal, cafés would only be allowed to host National Lottery machines; all other devices, including skill-based gambling games, would be banned. On online gambling, the minister raised the possibility of allowing the casino to hold a license, but noted several open questions:

"According to European case law, you can create such a monopoly, but then you must protect your citizens. There are also questions around geo-blocking. We are examining these issues internally with all concerned parties to determine what can be done, what must be done, and how far we should go if we proceed. These are complex questions and discussions are widely ongoing."

On the topic of prevention, Health Minister Martine Deprez said the state has an agreement with the Centre for Excessive Behaviour and Behavioural Addictions (ZEV). Between 2020 and 2024, the number of people seeking help for gambling problems nearly tripled to 100, the vast majority of them men. As a result, the ZEV budget was increased from €220,000 in 2020 to €560,000 this year.