Online casinos in Slovakia

Slovakia is one of the fastest growing gambling markets in Central Europe. Here gambling is completely legalized, controlled by the state and has clear rules for all operators.

Beginning in 2019, Slovakia opened the market to foreign online casinos, making the country attractive to Europe's top brands.

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Legislative framework

Slovakia's modern gambling regulatory system is based on the law

Zákon č. 30/2019 Z. z. o hazardných hrách (Gambling Act No. 30/2019), effective March 1, 2019.

This law replaced the old norms of 2005 and introduced:

• separation of licenses for online and offline activities;
• the ability of foreign companies to operate in the market with a national license;
• a system of centralized state control through the Ministry of Finance;
• Responsible Gaming Register;
• mechanisms for blocking unlicensed sites.

The main regulator is Úrad pre reguláciu hazardných hier (URHH), managed by the Slovak Ministry of Finance.

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Licensing

For legal work in the Slovak market, operators are required to obtain a URHH license.

Types of licenses:

• casinos (online and offline);
• sports betting;
• lotteries and bingo;
• slot machines.

Conditions for obtaining a license:

• registration of a legal entity in Slovakia or the EU;
• availability of authorized capital from €1 million;
• impeccable reputation of owners;
• financial transparency and auditing;
• use of certified gaming software;
• integration with the national Responsible Gaming system.

License period: 5 years, renewable.

After the reform of 2019, both Slovak brands (Tipos, Niké, Fortuna, Doxxbet, SynotTip) and international companies (Bet365, Betano, PokerStars, 888Casino) received licenses.

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Taxation

The tax system in Slovakia is considered one of the most balanced in Europe.

Additionally, operators pay corporate tax - 21%.

Players are not taxed on winnings if received from a licensed operator.

Part of the proceeds goes to the Národný fond zdravia (national health fund) and addiction prevention programs.

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Online gambling

After the adoption of the 2019 law, the online gambling market in Slovakia has become one of the most open in Central Europe.

Players are free to use the services of national and international platforms licensed by URHH.

Popular online casinos:

• Tipos Casino (state operator);
• Fortuna Casino;
• Doxxbet;
• SynotTip;
• Bet365, Betano, PokerStars. sk, 888Casino, Winmasters.

The most popular games:

• video slots and roulette;
• poker (including tournaments);
• blackjack and baccarat;
• live games with dealers;
• sports betting, esports and virtual events.

According to URHH, in 2024 the volume of online gambling exceeded €600 million, which is about 65% of the country's total gaming market.

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Land-based casinos

Offline casinos in Slovakia operate under licenses and are concentrated in tourist and business centers - Bratislava, Košice, Trenčín, Poprad.

The largest casinos in the country:

• Banco Casino Bratislava is a Central European poker tournament centre;
• Olympic Casino Slovakia is an international chain with branches in major cities;
• Rebuy Stars Casino - a modern casino with live rooms;
• Casino Forum Poprad.

The law limits the number of casinos depending on the population of the city:

• cities with a population of less than 200,000 - no more than 2 casinos;
• large cities - up to 6 establishments.

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Payment methods

Gambling platforms accept euros (EUR) and use a wide range of secure payment systems:

• Visa, MasterCard bank cards;
• Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, PayPal;
• Paysafecard, AstroPay, Revolut;
• bank transfers via Slovenská sporiteľňa, Tatra banka, VÚB Banka;
• cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT, ETH) - only allowed if AML is followed.

Registration and identification of players goes through the eID Slovakia system, which guarantees security and prevents fraud.

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Responsible play

Slovakia is actively implementing the principles of Responsible Gaming.

All operators are required to comply with URHH requirements:

• age limit - 18 +;
• the possibility of self-exclusion;
• deposit limits and game duration;
• communicating addiction risks;
• test reminders during a game session.

A unified register "Register vylúčených osôb" has been created - a database of citizens who, by personal application or court decision, cannot participate in gambling.

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Economic importance

Gambling in Slovakia is an important source of income and employment:

• annual market turnover exceeds €1 billion;
• tax revenues are about €250 million per year;
• more than 5,000 jobs in the industry;
• about 70% of turnover falls on the online segment.

The gambling industry contributes to the development of tourism, the IT industry and advertising technologies.

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Challenges and challenges

Despite the maturity of the legislation, the market faces a number of challenges:

• complex procedure for obtaining licenses for foreign operators;
• the need to strengthen control over crypto transactions;
• combating unlicensed sites and VPN access;
• high requirements for responsible gambling.

URHH regularly updates the list of blocked unlicensed domains, and the government plans to create a centralized online platform to monitor all rates in real time.

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Development prospects

Slovakia has all the prerequisites for further growth of the gambling sector.

The main trends for the coming years:

• integration of digital payments and cryptocurrencies into licensed casinos;
• development of Live games and VR gambling;
• the country's participation in the European Player Protection Initiative (EGA);
• licensing liberalization for international brands.

Slovakia is confidently moving towards the status of one of the most balanced gambling jurisdictions in Europe, combining transparency, technological development and the protection of players' rights.