During 2023 the Slovaks bet EUR21.4bn ($23.1bn/PS18.3bn/$23.1bn), revealed a recent press conference at the Office of Gambling Games Regulation in the country.
Martin Bohos stated that players in Slovakia received EUR20,4bn as winnings. The state’s contributions increased by more than EUR50m in the last year to reach EUR301m.
Online betting accounted for EUR93m in state contributions. Fixed-odds wagers accounted for EUR80.48m. The state received EUR61.9m from land-based casinos.
Online betting continues to grow in popularity, as 90% of Slovaks choose to wager online. Online betting is only 14% for number lottery bets. Slovaks prefer to play at physical venues.
In Slovakia, the tax rate on fixed-odds bets is 22% for online operators. It’s 6% for companies that operate in land-based casinos. Online operators pay the same rate as for casino. In land-based casino, 27% goes to state and 3% to municipality.
A regulator is looking for ways to crack down on illegal operators
Bohos addressed the challenges that the Slovakia regulator faces with regard to illegal online operators. He also noted that the statistics showed that fighting illegal gambling was “effective”, particularly on technological devices like quiz machines found in bars and other venues.
Online, the battle against illegal operators is also fought by regulators, who are actively looking for black market operators online. This includes loot box operators in computer games. Advertising of illegal operators can be sanctioned by the regulator.
Bohos warned against the dangers of municipalities that ban gambling. Such restrictive measures could drive people to the black market, which can be harmful.
I would like to see this subject be the topic of a more extensive social debate. If someone believes that legal gambling can be controlled by prohibiting it in a city’s territory, then yes, the legal gambling is under control, but illegal gambling risks will still remain.
The regulator reported in May 2023 that it conducted 2.511 inspections for Q1. It was 201 inspections more than the quarter in 2022. The number of digital inspections has increased by 90 percent compared with Q1 2022.
Restrictions on municipal contributions to be reduced
The regulator anticipates that this figure will drop up to 22 percent in 2025. The prohibitive rules of some municipalities are to blame.
The municipalities have the right to regulate gaming on their own territory. The municipalities have the power to regulate gambling on their territory.
Bohos has also criticized Slovak municipalities and cities for failing to pay enough attention the gambling agenda of their nation.
What are the products available in Slovakia?
In Slovakia, gambling is regulated in the form of sports betting, horse racing betting, poker, and casinos. The monopoly lottery and bingo provider is the state-owned Tipos.
The gambling laws of Slovakia came into effect on March 1, 2019. The gambling law of Slovakia came into force on the 1st March 2019.
The country’s regulator will publish a list of whitelisted websites in 2022 that are operated by licensed operators.
