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Basic law: Ustawa hazardowa
Polish Gambling Act 2009 (Ustawa o grach hazardowych) is a basic standard that determines what is considered a gambling game, who and under what conditions can offer it, how taxes and advertising are arranged. The 2017 amendments were the largest digital reform: they secured a state monopoly on part of online verticals, allowed regulated online betting from private licensees, and introduced tough tools to combat the "gray" segment.
1) Subject of regulation and definition
The law covers:- Verticals: lotteries, betting/betting, slot machines/slots, casino games, poker, bingo, promotional lotteries.
- Organizers: public operators and private companies with a national license.
- Players: minimum age 18 +, mandatory verification of identity and source of funds when working online and at licensed points.
Key principle: any gambling activity is permissible only with permission and compliance with technical, financial and compliance criteria.
2) Licensing and market access
Offline segment: casinos, slot machine halls, bookmakers (PPS), lotteries - based on licenses/concessions with reference to location, capital and impeccable business reputation.
Online segment (after 2017):- Online casinos/slots - in the state circuit (monopoly), through an authorized operator.
- Online sports betting - allowed to private companies under national license; servers/logging and calculations - in accordance with Polish requirements.
- Other verticals online - only in forms directly allowed by law and under separate permits.
Mandatory minimum for the applicant: confirmed capital, timely payment of fees and taxes, certified software, secure payment channels, KYC/AML and RG procedures.
3) 2017 Amendments: What exactly has changed
1. Digital monopoly on online casinos/slots. Private operators on the Internet are focused on rates; casino content - at the state operator.
2. Legal private online betting. National license, local reporting, data storage and mandatory compliance.
3. Domain lock registry. An official list of sites offering excitement without a Polish license has been created; communication providers are required to restrict access.
4. Payment locks. Payment organizations stop servicing transactions in favor of unlicensed domains.
5. Advertising and sponsorship. The rules are clearly divided: you can advertise only what is allowed by law and who has a license; strict restrictions on tone, audience target and formats.
6. Strengthening control over the halls of machine guns. Centralization of permits, technical accounting and enhanced checks.
4) Online rules and operator responsibilities
KYC/AML. Complete player identification prior to deposit/withdrawal; source control, transaction monitoring, logging.
Limits and RG. Set of self-control tools: deposit/rate/time limits, pauses (timeout), self-exclusion options; visible risk warnings.
Infrastructure localization. Logs, accounting, calculations - according to Polish standards; data protection, encryption, availability of transaction histories.
Anti-fraud and honesty. Software/feed verification, audit of random number generators (for games), protection against multi-accounts and bonus abuse.
5) Advertising, promo and affiliates
Who can be advertised. Only licensees and only their authorized products.
As you can. Neutral tone without promises of "easy money," mandatory 18 + and RG messages, prohibition of targeting minors and sites with a significant share <18.
Where and when. Additional restrictions for TV/radio/UN and during sports broadcasts; online platforms are required to apply age filters.
Affiliates. The operator is jointly and severally responsible for the creatives of the partners (landing pages, teasers, native); violation - risk of sanctions for the brand.
6) Taxes and fees (in general terms)
Different bases for different verticals. For bets - traditionally a negotiable taxation model (tax on accepting bets), for casinos/slots/lotteries - other bets and formulas (often closer to GGR).
Player wins. Deductions and declarations depend on the type of product and the amount of winnings; licensees are required to correctly withhold/report the amounts provided and inform the player.
Earmarks. Part of the proceeds goes to sports/culture/prevention of gambling addiction - this is a systemic tradition of Polish regulation.
(Exact percentages and thresholds change normatively; operators and players should check with the tax authorities for up-to-date rates and instructions.)
7) Control and sanctions
Administrative measures. Fines, license revocation, closure of illegal points, inclusion of domains in the blocking register.
Payment control. Termination of translation services to unlicensed sites.
Organ coordination. Supervision interacts with communication/financial regulators and law enforcement agencies, as well as with payment and Internet providers.
8) Practice for a legal operator: compliance checklist
1. License and legal entity in accordance with the vertical, authorized capital, absence of "black spots" in the background.
2. Technical certification: RNG/feeds, channel protection, log audit and reporting availability.
3. KYC/AML procedures: identity verification before transactions, monitoring, reporting.
4. RG-outline: limits/timeout/self-exclusion, warnings, visible section "Responsible game."
5. Advertising and affiliates: white politicians, pre-moderation of creatives, age filters, prohibition of "euphoric" messages.
6. Payments: permitted providers, clear commissions/rates, refunds according to the rules.
7. User transparency: history of rates/deposits/conclusions, settlement rules, payment time, channel for claims.
9) What the rules mean for players
Safety and predictability. Licensed sites are required to pay, maintain a transaction history and protect data.
Risk control. Limits and self-monitoring tools are available by default; age <18 - excluded.
Transparency. Understandable T&C bonuses, understandable rules for calculating rates and payment terms.
10) Prospects and "spirit" of reform 2017 +
Detenization of online demand through narrow but controlled tolerance.
Priority of RG and public responsibility over rapid growth of turnover.
Supervision technologization: interlock registers, payment filters, digital reporting and audit.
Polish Ustawa hazardowa (2009) set a strict "allowed what is expressly allowed" box. The 2017 amendments reconfigured the digital part: the state monopoly on online casinos, national licenses for online betting, the blocking register and hard advertising. This model makes the market not the widest, but predictable and socially responsible: the player receives protection and transparency, the state - manageability and receipts, and conscientious operators - clear rules of the game.