The Ministry of Finance is already planning new steps to tighten gambling regulation and increase taxes from 2023. Although it may seem like a minor change, it actually represents a major change with real-world implications. What impact do they have and how to prepare for legislative changes?
New legislation will speed up the blocking of illegal gambling websites
The new legislation will focus on the availability of gambling in the territory of the Czech Republic, instead of limiting the regulation only to games targeted at local residents. This move is intended to make it easier to prove wrongdoing and speed up the blocking of illegal websites.
Given that most of the gambling business has migrated to the online space, this change is necessary, according to the Ministry of Finance. This regulation applies directly to the sites of online casino operators and not to promotional sites, such as the Promo Codes discount web platform. On such sites, users can find the codes and further apply no deposit bonus casino CZ on gambling portals to take advantage of their attractive offers that are completely legal.
These offers, such as Free spins in Czech casinos, are key marketing tools that can attract more players to legal gambling in the Czech Republic.
The proposed amendment to the law, which was submitted to the interdepartmental comment procedure, also contains measures to reduce the administrative burden for gambling operators and state authorities. The goal is to suppress illegal gambling and motivate legal operators to comply with the law. The new conditions will also include higher protection for players, which should contribute to reducing the risk of pathological gambling.
After Covid, the availability of gambling games in the Czech Republic has increased significantly
The ministry emphasizes that the focus on the availability of online gambling is a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the share of internet betting has increased significantly. The current tools of the state have proven to be ineffective, and therefore it is necessary to simplify the process of blocking illegal websites and clarify the definitions in the law. This should improve gambling supervision and reduce the administrative burden of management.
The amendment also contains a precise definition of the obligations of gambling operators directly in the legal regulation, which is intended to increase legal certainty and reduce the risk of disputes. Thanks to the more effective suppression of illegal gambling and the expansion of the taxed area, a positive impact on public budgets is expected, amounting to tens of millions of koruna per year. The proposal also envisages allowing foreigners to participate in online gambling, thereby leveling the conditions with “land-based” gambling operations.
