Online casinos of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a unique gambling market in Europe.

Unlike most countries in the region, gambling is regulated here at the level of two autonomous administrative units - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS).

This makes the market decentralized, but flexible, which allowed it to develop in one of the most interesting areas of the iGaming industry in the Balkans.

Legislative framework

The legal system of gambling in the country is based on two main laws:

1. Law on Gambling of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zakon o igrama na sreću FBiH, 2015).

2. Law on Gambling of Republika Srpska (Zakon o igrama na sreću RS, 2019).

Both jurisdictions regulate gambling independently, with differences in licensing, tax, and control.

General principles:

gambling is permitted and regulated by the state;
participation in gambling is allowed only to persons over 18 years old;
licenses are required for all forms - online, offline, bingo, lotteries and betting;
international operators are allowed when registering a local representative office.

Control is performed by:

Federalno Ministarstvo Finansija (Federal Ministry of Finance) - in the Federation;
Ministarstvo Finansija Republike Srpske - in Republika Srpska.

Licensing

Obtaining a license is a prerequisite for operators in both parts of the country.

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Licenses are issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Main requirements:

registration of the company in FBiH;
minimum authorized capital - BAM 500,000 (€255,000);
security deposit - BAM 300,000 (€153,000);
Use of certified software (GLI, eCOGRA, iTech Labs)
annual inspection and audit.

Republika Srpska

In Republika Srpska, the requirements are softer:

company registration in RS;
authorized capital - BAM 250,000 (€128,000);
security deposit - BAM 100,000 (€51,000);
the license is valid for 10 years.

License types:

Casinos (online and offline);
Bookmakers;
Lotteries and bingo;
Slot machines;
Online gambling.

Largest licensed brands:

Premier Bet, Mozzart, Admiral Club, Bet-Live, WWin, Bet365. ba, Lutrija BiH, Meridianbet, SportPlus, Formula Bet.

Taxation

The taxation system varies by region:

Region	GGR tax	Corporate tax	Ad notata
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina	10%	10%	Monthly license fees
Republika Srpska	15%	10%	No tax on players' income

Optional:

annual license fee - from €20,000 to €50,000;
0.5% of GGR is transferred to the Responsible Gaming fund.

Players are not taxed on winnings if playing at a licensed operator.

Online gambling

Online gambling is legalized in both jurisdictions.

FBiH and RS issue separate licenses for online activities, and operators are required to host servers in the EU or in a country with similar security standards.

Popular online casinos:

WWin. ba is the largest national operator;
Premier Bet, Mozzart, Meridianbet, Admiral Bet, Bet-Live, Lutrija BiH, SportPlus, Formula Bet;
international brands: Bet365, 1xBet, Stake, 22Bet.

Land-based casinos

Land-based casinos in Bosnia and Herzegovina are aimed at tourists and business customers, especially in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar.

Largest establishments:

Coloseum Club Sarajevo;
Golden Club Banja Luka;
Admiral Casino Sarajevo;
Hit Casino Mostar;
Royal Casino Tuzla.

Casinos offer board games, poker tournaments, slot machines, as well as hotel complexes and restaurants.

Payment methods

The official currency is the Bosnian mark (BAM), rigidly tied to the euro (1 EUR = 1.95583 BAM).

Online operators offer all popular payment methods:

Visa, MasterCard, Maestro;
Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, Revolut;
Apple Pay, Google Pay;
bank transfers through UniCredit, NLB, Raiffeisen, Intesa Sanpaolo;
Paysafecard and cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, USDT) - under the control of AML.

All transactions take place in accordance with the PSD2 and GDPR directives.

Responsible play

Bosnia and Herzegovina is actively developing a culture of responsible gambling.

Both regulators require operators to implement Responsible Gaming programs.

Main measures:

age limit 18 +;
mandatory KYC verification;
limits on deposits and losses;
self-exclusion system;
hotlines of psychological assistance under the Ministry of Health;
annual contributions to social funds.

Regulators also maintain a register of players who are in voluntary lockdown.

Economic importance

Gambling occupies an important place in the country's economy.

According to the Ministry of Finance (2024):

total market turnover - €1.05 billion;
tax revenues - about €150 million annually;
more than 5,000 direct jobs;
more than 15,000 indirect (tourism, advertising, IT, transport).

The sector actively supports sports and culture: Mozzart, WWin, Premier Bet are sponsors of football clubs, basketball leagues and charitable initiatives.

Challenges and challenges

The market faces a number of structural challenges:

lack of a single state regulator;
differences between FBiH and RS laws;
competition with offshore sites without a license;
limited adoption of Responsible Gaming in small businesses;
the need to adapt to new technologies (crypto and Web3 gambling).

The government is debating a draft of a single national gambling law that would create common licensing and taxation rules.

Development prospects

Bosnia and Herzegovina is moving towards unification and digitalization of the gambling industry.

Key plans 2025-2026:

introduction of a unified register of licenses;
digital licenses for online operators;
regulation of cryptocurrency casinos;
strengthening Responsible Gaming measures;
integration with pan-European EGBA standards.

With a growing online segment, a loyal tax system and a cultural focus on gambling entertainment, Bosnia and Herzegovina is becoming one of the most promising iGaming markets in Southeast Europe, combining national specifics with modern international practices.