Gambling in Poland has changed a lot over the years, especially in the last decade. Still, casino operators have many challenges when it comes to operating within the borders of this country. The country has a remarkable history and is now taking baby steps toward legalizing online casinos and making gambling more available to players. In this article, we’ll talk about the history of gambling in Poland and take a close look at the trending online casinos of 2023.
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Gambling in Poland Throughout History
To understand the advances in gambling in the country, we need to go way back to the first casino that opened its doors for players in 1930. The first-ever Polish casino was based in the sandy Sopot city, a place where tourists visited in large numbers. At this point, the casino offered blackjack and roulette. A few others followed suit, but the industry was one of the most devastated by the world war. During the Soviet Rule, all forms of gambling were banned.
At this point, Polferries, a Polish shipping company started offering roulette and blackjack in ferries, which boosted the number of ferry travelers.
When the Soviets reversed the ban in 1998, casinos were finally able to operate in Poland. This marks the beginning of gambling in the country. But, what about online casinos?
Today, online casino websites are very limited inside the country. However, players have plenty of choices at offshore-licensed casinos that are secure and top-rated – and they can gamble online legally. The most searched query among gambling enthusiasts is polskie kasyno online. Thanks to offshore licensed casinos, players now have access to thousands of games and tremendous bonuses, not to mention excellent support.
Legal Framework for Gambling in Poland
The main regulation that governs all forms of gambling in Poland is the Gambling Act of 2009. In addition to this, there are a few other relevant legislations:
- The Penal and Fiscal Code of 1999
- The National Revenue Administration Act of 2016
- The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act of 2018
According to the Act of 2009, there are 4 legal forms of gambling games: games of chance, card games, slot machines, and betting.
Games of chance cover all gambling games, including online titles that depend on chance. Based on the Act, the majority of online games are either restricted to the state monopoly – or prohibited altogether. The only exceptions are promotional lotteries and sports betting. While the link between sports like football and online casinos is strong, only one of these is not restricted to state monopoly at this point.
In terms of betting and promotional lotteries, companies that offer these must have a prior permit or license.
In land-based casinos, players can find dice games, card games, cylindrical games like roulette, and slots. These are fairly limited in number – with a single casino that can operate in a city of up to 250,000 inhabitants. Slot machines are restricted to privately operated casinos, while slot parlors are solely operated by Totalizator Sportowy.
As of March this year, there are 50 licensed casinos active in the country, with 3 tenders pending for new applicants.
But, what about online?
The only forms of online gambling that are available to Polish companies are betting and promotional lotteries. You can’t enter this market from abroad because one of the requirements is that you have a representative in Poland or a branch office there.
The only legal casino with games like roulette and slots is Totalizator Sportowy, a company owned by the state. Other than this, you won’t find other Polish-based online gambling companies or sites licensed by the state.
However, you can definitely find trending casinos with offshore licenses.
Trending Choices for Online Casinos in Poland
If you decide to gamble at the trending casinos that many Polish citizens visit frequently, you will be spoilt with choices – and grand bonuses. It’s of vital importance that you do your research and choose the right casino based on factors like reputation, security, range of games, and betting options.
Generally speaking, the top 5 choices for Polish players these days are:
- Dolly Casino. This website features an enormous game portfolio with over 4000 titles from top developers. It operates under a legit Curacao gaming license and is available to Polish players. When you sign up and make your first deposit on the casino site, you can claim up to 2250 PLN in combination with 100 free spins.
- PlayBison. Playbison is regulated by the Curacao Gaming Authority and holds its license. When you sign up on the website, you can claim 20 free spins and get access to thousands of casino games.
- 20Bet. If you are looking for a generous welcome bonus, 20Bet has one – 500PLN and 120 free spins for new players. This Bitcoin casino offers a plethora of games and banking methods and has several licenses including one from Curacao and UKGC.
- Lemon Casino. Lemon’s welcome bonus is for a whopping 400% Megaways. If you are a fan of Megaways slots, you can deposit 50 PLN to claim up to 250 PLN on these games. The casino is licensed under the laws of Curacao.
- 22Bet. Polish gamblers also frequent 22Bet, a crypto casino with many banking methods and a generous bonus of 1250 PLN. This is a place where you can play thousands of casino games, bet on sports, and gamble live.
While it isn’t illegal to gamble at offshore-licensed and based casinos, you should only choose sites that hold proper licenses like the ones in this list.
Wrapping Up
Online gambling in Polish casinos is very limited, but fortunately, that’s not the only option for people residing in or visiting the country. There are plenty of online sites that offer casino games to players in Poland, and some of them are the best on the market. While we are waiting for more lenient regulations and more online licenses in the state, we can dip into the global pool and play in one of the trending casinos on offer.
