Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland

1. Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland Now
2. Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland 2020
3. Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland Today
4. Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland 2019

Key Facts: Online Gambling In Poland. Both land based and online gambling / betting are legal. Over 1,000 betting shops throughout the country. Online sports betting legal but limited by law to certain operators. Polish authorities strict on people using unregulated betting sites. Iceland – online casino gambling and online poker illegal – offline gambling is legal. Luxembourg – illegal online other than sports betting and online lottery. Mali – only legal for foreign visitors. Malta – gambling services need a license from the. Poland joined Europe’s regulated online gambling landscape this spring. A new gambling regulatory regime came into effect on April 1, 2017 after being approved by the country’s government last year. Although the country’s new gambling laws were designed with the intention to liberalize the local market, it cannot be said that much liberalization has occurred. Poland, whose restrictive online gambling policy has been criticized by the EU, is determined to hunt down and prosecute its biggest online gamblers. Whilst the situation is certainly different now, Poland took a rather lax attitude towards gambling in all its forms throughout the '80s and '90s, with the industry developing largely unregulated for a number of years. Even when laws were pushed through in 1992, they only tightened up the rules.

Poland online gambling laws are clearly defined in the Gambling Law of 19
November 2009. This statute put very strict regulations in place, and the tight
standards are a marked departure from the attitudes about gambling that permeate
most of the European Union.

Prior to the enactment of this statute, gambling in Poland was regulated by
the terms of the Act on Games and Betting. Gaming lobbyists tried to influence
politicians to amend this law to their advantage. The new law is restrictive in
large part because the government wanted to make a statement that they could not
be bought by gambling lobbies.

Amendment to the Gambling Law

The Polish Parliament adopted an amendment to the 2009 Gambling Law on
December 15, 2016. The president made it official when he signed the legislation
a couple of weeks later. It went into effect on April 1, 2017.

One very significant component to the amendment addressed Poland’s online
gambling laws for unlicensed gaming websites that accept Polish players.
“Unlicensed” refers to any website that does not hold a Polish online gambling
license. These sites were illegal under the Gambling Law as it was originally
written, but operators and players routinely ignored the statute.

Under the terms of the amendment, they now compile a register of unlicensed
websites, which is tantamount to a blacklist. This is handled by the office of
the Minister of Finance. They specifically focus on sites that are available in
the Polish language while searching for unlicensed sites that advertise in the
country.

Internet service providers are notified when a website is placed on this
blacklist. They are then required to block access to the site. Visitors must be
automatically rerouted to a website that is operated by the government that
explains that the site they were trying to access is on this register.

The amended Poland online gambling laws do allow websites lacking an online
gambling license to file an appeal with the Minister of Finance after being
placed on the blacklist. There is no requirement for the Minister to notify the
operators of a blacklisted website to let them know that they have been placed
on the register.

When you read the last sentence, you may immediately think that they will
certainly find out when they go to their site. However, if they are accessing it
outside of Poland, it wouldn’t be blocked.

This amendment takes another very big step that has a tangible impact on
unlicensed websites that want to do business in Poland. Payment service
providers are not permitted to work with unlicensed gambling websites to
facilitate transactions. They have 30 days to comply with this after one of
their clients has been entered into the register.

There is a rather harsh penalty for a lack of compliance. The maximum penalty
is about 58,000 euros, and this also applies to Internet service providers that
violate the Poland online gambling laws for unlicensed gaming sites.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland Now

Before the amendment was added to the Gambling Law, sports betting was the
only type of online gaming that was legal in Poland. Now, a state-owned company
named Totalizator Sportowy can offer online casino-style games. This does not
extend to poker; online poker is illegal in Poland.

Speaking of poker; prior to the amendment, it was confined to tournaments
that are held at licensed brick-and-mortar casinos. This is still the primary
form of legal poker in Poland, but the amendment allows for the development of
games that pit players against the house.

It also gives licensed casinos the green light to hold poker tournaments at
outside venues. Poker tournaments organized by unlicensed entities or
individuals became legal as well, with a maximum top prize of about 500 euros.

Poland Gambling Laws for Brick and Mortar Casinos

There are legal brick-and-mortar casinos, but they are limited in number
through the terms of the 2009 Gambling Law. In addition to venues that offer
traditional casino games, there are also bingo saloons and land-based sports
betting facilities.

Each municipality that has 250,000 citizens or less can have one casino, and
there can be another casino for each increment of 250,000 people. For bingo
saloons, the rule is one casino for every 100,000 people.

Poland gambling laws allow slot machine parlors as well, and the amendment
changed the legal parameters. These are all operated by the same state-owned
company that is authorized to offer online casino games:
Totalizator Sportowy. There can be as few as three and as many as fifty machines
in the slot machine parlors in Poland.

Page updated on: 13.02.2020

The central European country of Poland (Polska in Polish) is with 38.5 million residents the 5th most populous country in the European Union. Gambling is a popular activity, although it's heavily restricted on Polish territory. This doesn't stop residents of Poland to gamble and play their favourite casino games online.

There are a number of online casinos where players from Poland can register and play casino games for real money, often also in PLN currency. The casinos listed here are all licensed and have a good reputation with players. However, online gambling at offshore casinos is not legal in Poland, which hasn't stopped some casinos to accept Polish players.

→ Casinos that accept PLN

FAQ

♦ Is there a casinos bonus for players from Poland?

Some online casinos offer bonuses and other promotions to their players, but these bonuses are often restricted to players from select countries. Some casinos may also offer players from Poland a casino bonus, so in this case it's best to take a look at the casino to find out if you're eligible for a casino bonus.

♦ Can I play with Złoty in online casinos?

Some of the casinos that accept players from Poland also offer them the option to deposit and withdraw in their local currency of Złoty. This means that they won't have to select another currency and pay exchange fees. However, the choice of casinos is more limited, as the currency PLN is no commonly accepted in casinos. You can find casinos accepting PLN here.

♦ Is casino support in Polish available?

Many online casinos are not available in Polish language and therefore it's unlikely that you find customer support in Polish. Most casinos are available in English and offer support in English, as well as some other languages. A casino with a Polish website is more likely to also offer support in Polish.

♦ Is gambling in Poland legal or illegal?

Poland's gambling laws regulate sports betting and gambling. Sports betting is allowed in land-based establishments and online, but only at licensed operators. The Gambling Act from 2011 basically forbids all forms of online gambling, with the exception of sports betting. However, these laws were criticised by the EU Commission as not conform with EU-laws.

The laws haven't stopped Polish players from playing at offshore casinos, although it's not legal. Sports betting in Poland is dominated by a few operators, and winnings are subject to a 10% tax. However, as offshore websites are unregulated, no taxes are collected. We hope that the Polish government will soon implement regulation that will allow players from Poland to gamble in a safe and legal environment.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland 2020

♦ Which payment methods are available for Polish casino players?

Players from Poland have a number of payment methods available, including credit cards and e-wallets. Some popular e-wallet payments are Neteller, Skrill and EcoPayz, which also allow the Zloty as an account currency. You can also find Przelewy24 in some casinos, although not many accept it. As casinos offer different payment methods, you can possibly find your preferred method in our payments overview and take a look at the casinos which offer the payment.

♦ Is it safe to play at an online casino?

There are a few things to consider when choosing an online casino for real money bets. One of them is the license of the operator. Some jurisdictions are stricter than others, which is especially true for European licensing bodies, which have tougher regulations for player protection, fair and tested games and anti-money laundering.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland Today

As a player from Poland you can expect to be treated fairly when playing at a reputable casino, especially one licensed from a European regulator, such as the UK or Malta. This means that it's generally safe to play at a EU-casino.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Poland 2019

♦ What games are available in the casinos?

Online casinos give you the option to play many casino games for real money, and if you'd rather try them out you can also play them for free as well - of course without having to pay money for them, but you also won't have the chance to win real money either.

You can find online slots from dozens of developers, casino table games, including Roulette and Blackjack and you can also play at live tables against real dealers. Some casinos also offer sports betting options where you can bet on current sporting or other events, and other operators also access poker rooms.