First reading of the Draft Act (728 SE) on the Gambling Act, the Gambling Tax Act, the Act amending the Gambling Tax Act, and the Act amending the Cultural Endowment Act.
Session: 15th Riigikogu, Sixth Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-21 13:04
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 45
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 1m
AI Summaries: 45/45 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated Bill 728, the draft act amending the Gambling Act, the Gambling Tax Act, and the Cultural Endowment Act, which was initiated by 16 members of the Riigikogu, led by Tanel Tein. The main objective of the bill is to create a new, stable model for financing culture and sports by involving international tax revenue from the remote gambling sector. To achieve this, a gradual reduction of the gambling tax from 6% to 4% is planned by 2029, in order to make Estonia more attractive to international operators. The projected additional revenue would be directed into target funds established under the Cultural Endowment: the Private Funding Attraction Fund and the Sports Facilities Fund. The bill's presenter, Tanel Tein, emphasized that this would bring new licenses and taxable activity to Estonia, projecting revenue growth up to 100 million euros per year. Criticism (primarily from Isamaa and Varro Vooglaid) focused on the moral aspect of the bill (whether favoring gambling is fair), money laundering risks, and the fact that the government refused to submit the bill itself. Annely Akkermann, Chair of the Finance Committee, confirmed that the committee supported the completion of the first reading of the bill, even though the government's opinion had not yet arrived. The Isamaa faction proposed rejecting the bill, but this did not find support.
Decisions Made 2
The motion put forward by the Isamaa faction to reject Draft Bill 728—an act amending the Gambling Act, the Gambling Tax Act, the Act amending the Gambling Tax Act, and the Cultural Endowment Act—during its first reading failed to gain support (18 votes for, 48 against).
The first reading of Bill 728 was concluded. The deadline for submitting amendments was set for November 4th at 5:15 p.m.
Most Active Speaker
Tanel Tein (Eesti 200) was the most active speaker, introducing the draft bill and repeatedly answering critics' questions concerning the bill's economic viability, money laundering risks, and moral justification (other/coalition).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar proceeded to the agenda, introducing the first item: Bill 728, initiated by members of the Riigikogu, concerning amendments to the Gambling Act, the Gambling Tax Act, and the Cultural Endowment Act. He then invited Riigikogu member Tanel Tein to the podium to present the bill.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein introduced Draft Law 728, whose strategic aim is to establish a new source of international tax revenue for Estonia by gradually lowering the remote gambling tax rate to 4% in order to attract global gambling operators here. The projected additional revenue, which could reach up to 100 million euros, will be specifically earmarked for funding culture and sports through new funds created under the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (Kultuurkapital): the Sports Facilities Fund and the Private Money Attraction Fund, which leverages corporate donations. Simultaneously, anti-money laundering supervision will be significantly strengthened.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter and opened the floor for questions, giving the floor first to Peeter Ernits.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits supports the construction of the Tartu grand arena, whose expected revenue is comparable to renting out the Tartu prison, but emphasizes that despite the 30-year inertia of the Estonian tax system, the project requires a cognitive agreement so that society perceives it as expedient and fair, casting doubt on whether the project will be realized at all.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein confirmed that revenue from the gambling tax has long funded culture and sports, and the new tax amendment provides an additional opportunity to bring money into Estonia from the global market, allowing us to preempt local issues and create the necessary conditions in the future for the construction of major sports facilities.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Mart Maastik to the podium.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik criticized the government's policy of complicating the domestic business environment with tax hikes while simultaneously hoping to attract e-businesses by reducing the gambling tax. He then asked directly what Estonia's competitive edge in the e-casino market should be compared to Malta, in order to ensure that investments come specifically to Estonia.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein emphasized that although the revenue collected from the remote gambling tax increased during the COVID period thanks to the openness of the Estonian e-government, reducing the tax rate to 5% is an absolutely vital strategic step. This measure is necessary to ensure the retention of the nearly 40 operators currently active in Estonia, prevent their departure (which would lead to significant tax losses), and create favorable ground for the arrival of new operators—a goal further supported by the efficient work of the Tax and Customs Board and stricter anti-money laundering measures.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Reili Ranna.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasizes that the Estonian cultural sector needs additional funding, but primarily investigates what measures could be used to encourage the involvement of private capital in the construction of cultural and sports facilities, and also asks for clarification on how to mitigate the increased money laundering risks associated with the explosive growth of remote gambling.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein emphasized a responsible approach to capital raising, highlighting the importance of globally generated additional tax revenue to avoid the redistribution of existing domestic resources. He also explained that attracting foreign investment to Estonia requires establishing a local contact person for operators to improve communication (especially regarding the prevention of money laundering). However, this must be done flexibly so as not to deter large listed companies with bureaucracy—companies that would open up a new perspective for Estonia in terms of foreign investment.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid sharply criticizes the opposing side's proposal to lower the gambling tax, highlighting a conceptual contradiction. He argues that gambling is a social vice that should be restricted through taxation, not encouraged, especially given that the same political party has previously supported raising most other taxes and excise duties, while simultaneously opposing the introduction of a bank tax.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein defends the existing model for financing culture and sports via the gambling tax, stressing that this represents a societal agreement spanning decades. He argues that instead of debating domestic Estonian tax hikes, it is crucial to focus on attracting additional funding from the global market—an approach he deems vital and sensible for supporting youth extracurricular education.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Mart Maastik.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik expresses concern that the additional revenue anticipated from the tax cut is merely a hypothesis and thus questionable, while the draft bill stipulates the creation of six new positions, resulting in a guaranteed annual bureaucratic cost of 200,000 euros. He asks how this kind of imbalance between costs and revenues is commented upon.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein confirmed that although the pressure for additional licenses leads to an increased workload for supervisory authorities, it is entirely beneficial for the state. This is because the resulting tax revenue is many times greater than the administrative costs, and these costs are covered by the 8% share of the added tax revenue that flows into the state budget.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Aleksandr Tšaplõgin.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin posed a provocative and ironic question to the presenter, suggesting that if economic benefit were the sole criterion, prostitution should also be legalized to turn Tallinn into the European sex tourism hub, since "money doesn't stink."
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein explained that the current draft bill does not include the desired amendment, and he recommended that interested parties initiate a separate piece of legislation, which could then successfully pass through the proceedings.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar. Peeter Ernits was just called up a moment ago to deliver his report, which is why the content of his address is not yet known.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits accuses the drafters of the bill of hypocrisy and demands an explanation as to how their declaration against the preventative state model aligns with the fact that they knowingly voted last spring in favor of creating an unconstitutional super-database, which the president later rejected.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein believes that the planned processing of bulk data was a mistake, one which the Chancellor of Justice and the President fortunately rejected. He emphasizes that in a democracy, it is difficult to find the right balance between over- and under-regulation, as excessive regulation—especially in the operational field of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)—can easily stifle business.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar and Urmas Reinsalu were invited up to deliver a speech.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu raises the question regarding the role of the bill's initiator, internet casino intermediary Madis Haug, referencing murky connections exposed by Investigate Europe. These connections lead, via Estonian remote licenses, to Belarusian and Russian businessmen and intelligence agents, prompting Reinsalu to ask whether Haug mediated these specific licenses.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein believes that while he doesn't know the individuals Madis Haug mediated, that detail isn't relevant to the context. What matters is that the government still doesn't grasp why this additional income—which they are now taxing—was generated in the first place. He points out that Madis Haug himself potentially brought 100 million euros to the state through his work with licensing. He then asks rhetorically whether significant revenue flowing to the state as a result of someone's efforts is a positive or negative thing, stressing that continuous tax hikes are never beneficial.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Urmas Reinsalu to the podium, but the submitted text contains only the introduction, and the actual content of the speech is missing.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu emphasizes the public's right to know why the tax-related bill was submitted by members of parliament instead of the government. He also calls into question the motives and sources of profit of the bill's actual initiator, Madis Haug, a broker for online casinos, citing Haug's alleged connection to gambling licenses linked to Belarusian and Russian interests.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein refutes the claim that the bill was initiated by some specific individual, emphasizing that the actual initiator is the coalition that raised the tax. He further warns that, should the tax be increased, global companies could instantly redirect their licenses and tax revenue from Estonia to other countries, which would result in the loss of tax revenue.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Varro Vooglaid to take the floor.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid is following up on the proposed reduction of the gambling tax, demanding clarification on whether this affects the Estonian domestic market as well, and not just the inflow of global capital into Estonia. He also requests the naming of specific companies operating in Estonia that will benefit the most from this tax cut, and the submission of estimates regarding their expected profit growth.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein explained that the tax revenue forecast, which differs from the Ministry of Finance's own, is based on a study by the Foresight Centre and feedback from operators. According to this data, lowering license fees would attract new operators and their accounting operations to Estonia, thereby compensating for the lower tax rate and avoiding the 4 million euro loss incurred after the previous tax increase, which, in his estimation, makes the forecast quite logical.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited the next speaker, Leo Kunnas, to the podium.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas expressed concern and asked the presenter how they intend to prevent organized crime and hostile special services from establishing links with Estonia, should the country become a major online gambling center, considering the risk posed by the large accompanying cash flows.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Tein explained that anti-money laundering and anti-fraud measures (such as auditing, designated contact persons, and higher fines) are already in place, and there are no direct issues with Estonian licenses. He emphasized that the primary goal of the current initiative is to implement tax cuts and enhance security measures in order to restore the country's competitive tax position, which dates back to 2009.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the discussion on the previous presentation, thanking the speaker, and then gave the floor to Annely Akkermann, Chairman of the Finance Committee, at the Riigikogu podium, to introduce the results of the discussion held in the committee.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann introduced Bill 728, which was discussed in the Finance Committee. The bill seeks to establish a new stable funding system under the Cultural Endowment of Estonia for major sports and cultural facilities. This is achieved by making the remote gambling tax regime more attractive to increase revenue, while simultaneously significantly strengthening anti-money laundering requirements and raising the limits for prize funds in small lotteries. She proposes concluding the first reading of the bill.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter and opened the floor for questions, giving the word first to Tarmo Tamm so that he could pose his question.
Tarmo Tamm
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tarmo Tamm delivered a brief and spontaneous apology, using a quick and informative exclamation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar presided over the session, where, after Tarmo Tamm withdrew his question, the floor was opened for debate, and Urmas Reinsalu, who had been invited to the podium on behalf of the Isamaa faction, was granted three additional minutes at his request.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu sharply criticizes the bill presented by members of parliament, which he believes is a cover for narrow business interests (online casinos), carrying serious money laundering risks and contradicting the state's financial situation, as the bill reduces tax revenues at a time of a historic budget deficit. He points out that the Ministry of Finance refused to submit the bill, even though the issue is critical to the coalition's survival. He believes this "exercise" should be halted, and on behalf of Isamaa, he proposes rejecting the bill outright, demanding that such matters be handled systematically under the government's responsibility.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar, on behalf of the Eesti 200 faction, yielded the floor to his colleague Kadri Tali, while also requesting three minutes of extra time from the presiding officer of the Riigikogu session.
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kadri Tali, voicing frustration over the underfunding of culture and the lack of political backing, stresses that culture and sports must be viewed as a strong, value-adding economic sector, rather than social welfare. As a solution, she proposes a new funding model that would establish a financial mechanism through state and private sector cooperation to attract private capital, thereby ensuring the growth potential of these fields and elevating them into a key Estonian export.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the debate on Bill 728, announcing that while the lead committee had recommended concluding the first reading, the Isamaa faction had proposed rejecting the draft legislation, which concerns amendments to the Gambling Tax and Cultural Endowment Act. Therefore, the Isamaa proposal was put to a vote.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar informed that the Riigikogu rejected the proposal during the vote, as it failed to gain support (18 votes in favor, 48 against). Consequently, the first reading of Bill 728 is concluded, and the deadline for submitting amendments was set for November 4th at 5:15 PM.