Slovakia’s Gambling Law Back Under Review

Slovakia's Gambling Law Back Under Review

Slovakia's gambling legislation is once again at the center of political debate. Sports and Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak has proposed a set of amendments that, if adopted, would reshape the balance between private operators, state oversight, and social protections. The initiative is sparking disagreement across parliament, with supporters framing it as a long-overdue correction and opponents dismissing it as a political gesture.

The current law, passed in 2019, opened the Slovak online gambling market to international competition for the first time, reducing the dominance of TIPOS, the state lottery operator. The reform was designed to modernize regulation, secure new tax revenues, and reduce the role of unlicensed offshore sites. Yet, five years later, Huliak argues that the framework tilts too heavily in favor of the interests of operators and does not sufficiently protect the public.

At the core of his plan is a sharper focus on vulnerable groups. Huliak has proposed that gambling companies be restricted from promoting their services to individuals receiving welfare benefits, those with overdue alimony, and citizens in tax arrears. In his view, these measures would draw clearer boundaries between the commercial side of the industry and those most at risk of harm.

Another central feature of his proposal is the expansion of TIPOS's responsibilities. Huliak has been careful to avoid presenting this as a step back toward monopoly, instead portraying it as a way to ensure that gambling profits are channeled into public and community projects. In his public statements, he has emphasized that this is not about promoting gambling, but about directing its revenue streams toward social priorities, such as healthcare, sports, and education.

The minister argues that without reforms, Slovakia risks a dual system in which regulated operators face extensive compliance demands. At the same time, unlicensed companies continue to attract Slovak players with little oversight and no contribution to state revenues. For Huliak, this imbalance undermines both consumer protection and the long-term sustainability of the market.

Opposition parties, however, have seized on the proposal as an opportunity to challenge the government's approach to gambling regulation. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) has been particularly critical, accusing Huliak of presenting cosmetic changes while avoiding deeper structural questions. In its statements, the party has raised concerns about gaps between statutory tax rates on gambling and the actual revenue collected, suggesting that enforcement mechanisms may not be fully effective. The opposition has also called for a parliamentary inquiry to examine whether operators are underreporting or minimizing their contributions to the state.

For critics, the focus on TIPOS risks distracting from more pressing concerns about taxation, market oversight, and consumer protections. They argue that while channeling revenue toward community projects is laudable, it does not address questions about how the government monitors the flow of funds from private operators or ensures that tax policy keeps pace with the sector's growth.

The debate reflects a broader regional trend. Across Central and Eastern Europe, governments have struggled to strike the right balance between encouraging regulated competition and ensuring that gambling revenues make a meaningful contribution to public budgets. In many jurisdictions, state lotteries continue to play a central role as a stable source of revenue for cultural, sporting, and social initiatives. Huliak's proposals place Slovakia more firmly in that camp, although without fully returning to a state-controlled model.

Parliamentary discussions on the amendments are expected to be heated. The government will need to convince both lawmakers and the public that the reforms address not only social concerns but also issues of fairness and accountability in the broader market. For operators, the outcome could bring significant change: restrictions on advertising would limit outreach to certain demographic groups, while an enhanced role for TIPOS could alter the competitive landscape.

What remains clear is that the Slovak gambling debate is no longer solely about economic liberalization. Instead, it has shifted toward the question of how gambling is integrated into the country's social and political fabric. Whether Huliak's proposals mark the beginning of a broader realignment or remain a contested experiment will depend on the course of parliamentary debate in the coming months.