At a press conference held by the Slovak Gambling Regulatory Authority, it was revealed that in 2023, Slovaks wagered a total of 21.4 billion euros (18.3 billion pounds/23.1 billion dollars).
Martin Bohoš, the head of the regulatory body, stated that Slovak players won 20.4 billion euros in prizes. Government contributions increased by over 50 million euros compared to the previous year, reaching over 301 million euros.
In terms of national contributions, online gambling taxes accounted for 93 million euros of the total revenue, while fixed-odds betting taxes contributed 80.48 million euros. Meanwhile, physical casinos contributed 61.9 million euros to the state.
The online market continues to dominate, with 90% of Slovaks preferring to bet online. However, for digital lotteries, online betting only accounts for 14%, with Slovaks still preferring to play lotteries at physical locations.
The tax rate for fixed-odds betting in Slovakia is 22% of the Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) for online operators and 6% for physical companies. Meanwhile, for casinos, the tax rate for online operators is also 22%. For physical casinos, 27% of the GGR goes to the state, and 3% goes to the municipal government where the casino is located.
The regulatory body aims to crack down on illegal operators
Bohoš pointed out that the Slovak regulatory authority is facing ongoing challenges from illegal online operators. However, he also emphasized that statistics show that actions against illegal gambling are "effective," especially on technical devices such as quiz machines in bars and other hospitality venues.
The fight against illegal operators also extends online, where the regulatory body is actively searching for black market operators, including loot boxes in computer games. The regulatory authority has the power to sanction advertisements by illegal operators.
Bohoš outlined the risks of some cities seeking to ban gambling, stating that such restrictive measures could push players towards the potentially harmful black market.
"I hope this topic can spark a broader social discussion, because if someone thinks that by banning legal gambling within a larger city, the problem of gambling will be solved, yes, the problem of legal gambling will be solved, but the risk of illegal gambling will still be very high."
Municipal restrictions are expected to reduce land contributions
Although physical casinos contributed 61.9 million euros to the national budget in 2023, the regulatory body expects this figure to drop by up to 22% by 2025 due to prohibitive regulations in some cities.
Municipal governments have the authority to regulate gambling activities within their jurisdictions. These powers include banning land-based gambling venues and implementing other restrictive measures, such as prohibiting gambling at certain locations.
Bohoš also criticized Slovak cities and municipal authorities for not giving enough attention to the country's gambling industry.
What are the regulated gambling products in Slovakia?
Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, and casinos are regulated gambling products in Slovakia. Lotteries and bingo games are monopolized by the state-owned company Tipos.
The Gambling Act of Slovakia came into effect on March 1, 2019. This law allows private operators outside Slovakia to apply for sports betting and casino licenses, although the sports betting license did not take effect until July 1, 2020.
