Gambling Laws in Slovakia

Slovakia's gambling laws have been subject to a fair amount of change since recent legislation gave each region of the country the power to ban gambling.

Which Gambling Activites Are Legal in Slovakia?

The latest piece of legislation is the Act 30 on Gambling Games from 2019 which addresses online gambling. Whilst the Slovak Gambling Act of 2020 covers all other activities.

Most forms of gambling are legal in Slovakia but there are a few exceptions and monopoly situations.

Wagering on Offline and Online Casino Games

Land-based casino gambling has been legal since 1993. Operators are required to obtain a licence from Slovakia's Office for the Regulation of Gambling Games (Úrad pre reguláciu hazardných hier). There are currently 13 licensed casinos and 50+ slot halls.

The government has made a concerted effort to crack down on problematic gambling behaviour by implementing strict controls on slot halls. Since the law allows the different regions to determine their own laws, many of them have banned slot halls and casinos. The most notable being the capital city region of Bratislava.

Online casino gambling has been legal since 2019. Before the law was amended to include private companies, the country's lottery company, TIPOS had monopoly control of the activity. Even though foreign operators can now obtain a licence in the country, few bother due to the high costs. Most residents prefer the wider range of online casino slots and other games offered by foreign sites, though many of these are blocked by ISPs.

Playing Poker With Real Money

Poker is legal but the capital's crackdown on gambling affected this activity. Before the ban, most games occurred in the capital's casinos, with a few standalone clubs operating. The ban decimated the poker industry, with few casinos and poker clubs operating outside Bratislava. Video poker machines do exist but are heavily regulated.

Online poker gambling is legal and operators are required to hold a licence, but due to high costs, few companies obtain one.

Bingo Betting

A distinction is made between traditional bingo that's played in halls and what the country refers to as 'special bingo'. This is a centrally controlled, mass media broadcast lottery-type game which is offered solely by TIPOS. Operators must hold a licence to offer their services to the public, with games held in the country's casinos or bingo halls. The game isn't very popular in Slovakia, so few venues offer it. Online bingo gambling has been legal since 2005 but only TIPOS can offer games via its website and mobile apps.

Purchasing Lottery Tickets, Scratchcards and Other Instant Win Games

Lottery gambling is legal though only TIPOS is permitted to offer this - which the country's Finance Ministry owns. Some small charitable lottos can obtain special permission to operate, but this is the only exception. TIPOS offers a variety of lottery games, keno and scratch cards via its outlets.

Playing online lotto has been legal since 2005, but this activity also falls under the monopoly of TIPOS.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

The current legislation does not mention social casinos, skins gambling or loot boxes. So these activities remain unregulated for the time being.

Slovakia officially recognises cryptos but they are yet to become legal tender. This means that none of the country's casinos, slots halls, bookmakers, or lottery companies accept them. Slovaks can play games using virtual currencies at one of the few licensed crypto casinos that serve the country.

Slovakia Sports Betting Laws: What's the Deal?

Sports betting has been legal since 1993 and bookmakers must obtain a licence to operate in the country. There are numerous betting shops on any high street, including TIPOS which also offers some markets. Horse race betting is the only exception, with markets on such events only permitted by Závodisko.

Online sports betting is also legal with the activity being the only form of online gambling permitted before the 2019 amendment.

Minimum Age to Gamble in Slovakia

Only those aged 18 or over are legally permitted to gamble in Slovakia.

Slovakian Gambling Tax Regulations - Are Players Liable To Pay?

These rules set different rates depending on the gambling activity offered. These can be as low as 1% for horse race betting, 4% for special bingo and 4.5% for bingo. Anything up to 22% applies for casino gambling, sports betting and online gambling, and even 27% for gambling machines. The country has been criticised for its high gambling taxes, with many operators refusing to obtain a licence.

Players in Slovakia can enjoy their winnings tax-free.

History of Gambling Laws in Slovakia

When Slovakia was still part of Czechoslovakia which was under the rule of the USSR - gambling was entirely illegal. However, Czechoslovakia made all forms of gambling legal in 1989 after the fall of the USSR.

Slovakia's efforts in the gambling industry progressed in 1990 with the formation of 'Casinos Slovakia' and the opening of the first two venues in 1991.

Slovakia gained its independence in 1993 and kept existing laws regarding the legality of gambling. Bratislava's Casino Café Reduta opened the following year.

Some forms of online gambling were legalised in 2005, with amendments made in 2019 making just about all types legal.

In 2017 Bratislava banned all forms of gambling - a move that was overturned the following year. In 2020 further amendments were made to the Slovak Gambling Act, allowing the country's regions to ban gambling, and Bratislava once again moved to ban gambling.

Key Facts

• Casino gambling is legal in Slovakia except in Bratislava where it is banned.

• Online casino gambling is legal but few operators obtain a licence due to high costs.

• Poker gambling is legal but banned in some regions, including Bratislava.

• Land-based and online bingo gambling is legal and controlled by TIPOS.

• Sports betting is legal, with numerous licensed companies operating.

• Online sports betting is also legal in Slovakia.