A Deeper Look Into the Polish Gambling Market
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Poland has the potential to become one of the most important gaming markets in Europe.
Polish gambling industry reached a valuation of around €5 billion in 2020. Croatian gaming sector is valued at roughly €350 million. Russian market only brought in around€600 million in 2013. Jacek Michałski is an expert on the gambling market in Poland.
Polish gambling is legal but there are strict regulations on both land-based and online operators. The industry's revenue has increased dramatically since the revision to the Gambling Act in 2017. In 2018, the market was valued at €1.82 billion and by 2020 it will be worth €5 billion. 14 operators have obtained online sportsbook licenses in the Polish market, but several high-profile brands have left the industry or had their websites banned.
As part of the 2017 Gambling Act, state-owned operator Totalizator Sportowy was given a monopoly for online casinos and promotional lotteries. The law was extended to apply the 12% turnover tax rate to all online operators and land-based bookies, so Polish players don't have as many options for gambling as in some other countries. Big gambling brands have largely steered clear of Polish market and most popular sites don’t accept Polish player. Off-shore gambling sites accept players despite being unlicensed in the country.
Unlicensed casinos are still available in Poland. The Ministry of Finance has released a blacklist of offshore gambling domains. It doesn't seem to be effective. Unlicensed sites offer better variety and bonuses than state-owned ones. The state regulators have a battle on their hands to ensure that players are protected. They can't compete with the free market. So-called 'clone domains' have reduced the blacklist's effectiveness.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes.
