Home to 37 million people, Poland is one of the top EU countries in of economic growth. As Warsaw and the country’s other major cities become tourist and business centers, Poland explores nearly endless possibilities for development. But while the country remains open to visitors and opportunities, its gambling laws leave much to be desired, being some of the harshest in the European Union. With the current regulations in place, the legal online casino market sees less activity than it could.
But despite Poland’s attitude towards gambling, gamblers have plenty of websites to play on, and some of the world-famous casinos accept Polish gamblers, offering hefty welcome bonuses, thousands of games, and tournaments with huge prize pools. While most of these platforms aren’t licensed in Poland, they hold international licenses and guarantee fair gameplay. Polish Online Gambling Scene
Currently, the way Poland treats online gambling can’t be called friendly. On the bright side, most forms of gambling are legal, and the country even has a state-owned gambling website. Polish poker fans aren’t so lucky, as online poker rooms are prohibited. Such regulations make little sense, that players can enjoy the game in land-based venues.
Poland has been actively banning casino sites and poker rooms without the local license, but this hardly brings any tangible results, as the majority of web-based casinos are easily available via VPNs. This allows gamblers to play their favorite games with almost no risks and restrictions.
Legal Background for Polish Online Gambling
As for the legality of online gambling in Poland, the basis for it is the Gambling Act ed on November 19, 2009. The regulation heavily restricted the operation of gambling sites in the country. The Act was amended in 2011 to ban online poker. But this didn’t stop offshore casino sites from operating with almost no response from the authorities. Only the next amendment that came on December 15, 2016, targeted unlicensed casino platforms with a blacklist for them.
As a result, dozens of gambling websites in Poland were blocked. But strict regulations haven’t reached all casinos. For instance, Polish players are free to access https://mr.bet/pl casino with no restrictions, while other offshore websites are available via VPNs and mirrors. Of course, lots of online casinos have stopped accepting Polish visitors, but some platforms keep working in the country.
Technically, it’s possible for a Polish casino operator to obtain a license and provide gambling services legally, but few have chosen this option by far.
From a player’s perspective, online gambling is illegal in the country as long as the visitor plays on an offshore site that doesn’t hold a license from Polish authorities. On the other hand, there are a few advantages to consider like tax-free gambling (Poland has a 10% tax on winnings that exceed 2,280 zlotys).
Main Deposit and Withdrawal Options in Poland
Playing on a casino website in Poland, gamblers are free to use a wide array of payment options for deposits and withdrawals. Some of them may not be the best choice, though, as some casinos in the country are illegal:
- Bank cards: Visa/MasterCard (some platforms don’t provide these methods because Polish banks often decline transactions related to gambling);
- Pre-paid cards: Astropay, PaySafeCard;
- Digital wallets: Skrill, Neteller, Przelewy24, ecoPayz;
- Crypto: BTC, LTC, ETH, DOGE, and more.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the choice of currency, not all gambling websites are friendly to visitors from Poland. Finding a casino that s Polish zloty might be a tricky task. Most of the time, platforms just convert all PNL transactions to USD.
Bonuses at Online Casinos in Poland
Regardless of the regulations, Polish players have an impressive selection of bonuses and promotions to choose from. The list of available options includes:
- Match bonuses. Upon making a deposit, the player can receive a certain percentage of the cash-in amount as bonus funds. For instance, the casino may offer a 100% match boost, which means that, when depositing 100 PLN, the gambler will get an extra 100 PLN.
- Free spins. Slot fans can benefit from free rounds in their favorite games. Bonus spins allow the player to spin the reels without spending their bankroll.
- No deposit bonuses. These are promotions that don’t require a cash-in. The casino offers them for registration or performing other actions.
- Cashback. Most gambling sites give back some of the money the player lost during a week or another period.
Apart from that, gambling sites have loyalty programs, reload bonuses for regulars, and tournaments to keep players entertained.
Bottom Line
Strict gambling laws don’t stop avid Polish players from accessing casino sites without a local license. Newcomers will find dozens of options available without alternative links or VPNs. Licensed by international authorities like the Curacao eGaming Commission or Malta Gaming Authority, these platforms offer thousands of games, hefty bonuses, and engaging tournaments around the clock. Some of these sites are top casinos with years of spotless reputation.
To sum up, let’s find answers to some of the most common gambling-related questions in Poland.
What’s the best gambling site for Polish players? While the list of legal casino websites in the country is short, players don’t have a shortage of options, so it’s impossible to single out one particular site. In the end, the choice depends on personal preferences. For instance, live casino fans will barely have fun on a site with two or three real dealer games.
Is online gambling legal in Poland? Yes, as long as the player sticks to websites licensed by Polish authorities. But playing on illegal platforms won’t lead to any problems with the law.
What casino websites are legal in Poland? At the moment, there’s only one legal state-owned gambling platform in the country. However, gamblers may play in offshore casinos within Poland.
Are winnings from casino games taxable in Poland? Yes, winning more than 2,280, the player needs to pay a 10% tax. But unlicensed casinos aren’t regulated, so winnings obtained from them aren’t taxable.