Online gambling in Poland
Background
For the first decade of the millennium Poland had a relatively unregulated iGaming market, leading to the proliferation of unlicensed operators. The introduction of the Gambling Act of 2009 (the Act) marked the first significant effort to regulate all forms of gambling, including online activities. However, this initial legislation was criticised for being too restrictive and lacking a clear framework for licensing online operators.
In 2011, the Act was amended to address these criticisms, but didn’t go far enough with the European Commission (EC) questioning its compliance with EU laws in 2013, particularly the principles of free movement of services. The EC expressed concerns that Poland’s protectionist approach, including the monopoly on certain gambling activities and the cumbersome licensing process, might violate EU regulations.
In response to both domestic and international pressures, Poland undertook a major overhaul of the Act in 2017. The 2017 amendments granted Totalizator Sportowy, the state-owned operator, a monopoly on offering online casino games, including slots and table games. A clearer and more structured licensing process was introduced for sports betting operators. Enforcement measures were also strengthened, giving the government the ability to block unlicensed gambling websites and prevent financial transactions with unlicensed operators.
Current Regulations
Poland’s present iGaming market is governed by the Act, as amended, and regulated by the Ministry of Finance. Key aspects of the regulatory framework include:
- Licensing: Online gambling operators must obtain a license from the Ministry of Finance to offer their services legally. Only Polish companies can apply for a license, which has led to a limited number of licensed operators. While foreign based operators can apply through a local subsidiary, given the onerous nature of the process, few have.
- Types of permitted gambling:
– Online casino games, including slots and table games can only be only offered by the state-owned monopoly, Totalizator Sportowy.
– Online sports betting can be offered by private operators under strict regulations with multiple licenses awarded. - Enforcement: Polish authorities make efforts to actively monitor and block unlicensed gambling websites, as well as attempting to block transactions between Polish players and unlicensed operators.
Major Operators
Due to the restrictive nature of licensing, the Polish online gambling market is limited to a relatively small number of online sports betting operators, and a single state-run monopoly operator for online casino games. Licensed operators in the market include:
- Totalizator Sportowy: The state-owned operator has a monopoly on online casino games and offers a range of products, including slots, table games, and lotteries. Casinos games, live dealer included are offered via their TotalCasino.pl website.
- STS (Star-Typ Sport): One of the largest licensed sports betting operators in Poland, offering a wide range of sports betting options both online and offline.
- Fortuna Entertainment Group: Another leading sports betting operator in Poland, providing extensive betting options and a well-established online platform.
- Bet365, a well-known UK-based online gambling company, is one of the few foreign operators that has obtained a license from the Ministry of Finance. They established a local subsidiary to comply with Polish regulations.
Best live casino for Polish players
Totalizator Sportowy offers a limited selection of live dealer games. Polish players will find a more comprehensive offering at other live casinos.
