What types of gambling are allowed in Poland?

The market for gambling services, both land-based and online, is regulated by the Gambling Act passed in November 2009. Its provisions set strict rules and standards for online casinos’ owners, which differ significantly from those in other EU jurisdictions. In 2016, some amendments to the law were adopted by the Polish government. They aimed to profile licensed online casinos in the market and were fully applied in April 2017.

At the same time, a blacklist-based register of illegal websites was launched in the country. It is maintained by the office of the Ministry of Finance. Illegal websites targeting Polish users, especially those that use the Polish interface language and marketing tools to promote themselves in the country, are of particular concern. So if you want to choose “kasyno online bez weryfikacji”, which translates to casino without verification, learn about all the details of legal gambling in Poland.

Gambling types regulated in Poland

Most Polish gamblers can divide gambling into three categories:

  • Gambling;
  • Sports betting;
  • Slot machines.

Each of the above lists some specific form of gambling entertainment. Let’s take poker, for example. Gambling is legal in Poland, and poker is considered a game of chance. However, not all its types are allowed. You can play poker only by participating in specific tournaments with no less than ten players.

Sports betting (bookmaking services and pari-mutuel) is legal in Poland. This applies to both online and land-based types. 

Casino games are allowed only on the premises of a given gaming center. These include:

  • slot machines;
  • roulette;
  • card games (poker, blackjack, baccarat);
  • dice.
See also  The exceptional Phil Mead

Casinos in Poland

The 2009 Gambling Act limits the number of legal land-based casinos. One casino is allowed in each municipality with a population of no more than 250,000. So if you want to open one more, you can do that for the other 250,000 residents. In the case of bingo parlors, there is one for every 100,000 residents.

A slot machine arcade format is also accepted. All units of gambling parlors outside licensed casinos offer the product of Totalizator Sportowy state monopoly. According to the specialized portal World Casino Directory, the number of licensed land-based casinos in Poland has not changed since 2018, and there are currently only nine of them.

They are located at the following places:

  • Marriott Hotel & Casino Warsaw (Warsaw).
  • Casinos Poland at the IBB Andersia Hotel Poznan (Poznan).
  • The Hotel Plock & Casino (Plock).
  • Casinos Poland at the Hotel Park Plaza (Wroclaw).
  • The Grand Sopot Hotel (Sopot).
  • Neptune Orbis Hotel and Casino (Szczecin).
  • Casino Poland (Gdynia).
  • Отель Dwor Kosciuszko (Krakow).
  • Hilton Hotel (Warsaw).

Gambling advertising in Poland is strictly regulated by law. Thus, according to the law, it is forbidden to advertise and promote casino games, card games, betting, and services related to slot machines in the following forms:

  • direct advertising of gambling services;
  • displaying brands and other distinctive signs of a gambling supplier;
  • displaying any information about where such games are organized and how to participate in them;
  • advertising of any goods or services using images similar to those of gambling games or their suppliers;
  • public presentations of games of chance;
  • distribution of items and products related to gambling;
  • giving or selling gambling chips or tickets in public places;
  • any form of public encouragement of participation in gambling activities, highlighting their benefits, or inducement to enter a casino or betting outlet.
See also  Study Finds Kiwi Fruit Positive Effects on Eyes

The last point can be interpreted in many ways, so there was even a court case in which a social network user was held administratively liable for posting a picture of a roulette wheel on his profile.