Minister proposes amendments to gambling law in Slovakia
Opposition parties have criticised the minister’s stance.
Slovakia.- Sports and tourism minister Rudolf Huliak has proposed amendments to Slovakia’s gambling legislation. The minister has argued that the current law implemented in 2019 to open the online gambling market prioritises gambling operators over customer protections.
The proposed measures would restrict operators from promoting gambling to welfare recipients, people in alimony arrears, and tax debtors. Huliak also wants TIPOs, the national lottery operator, to play a role in channelling revenue to public and social projects.
Huliak said his proposal is to “regulate, not promote, gambling.”
“We are not here to promote the gambling industry – we are here to control it,” he said. “Illegal operators exploit loopholes, target vulnerable citizens and channel profits offshore. Meanwhile, regulated platforms face burdensome compliance with little protection from competition. That’s unsustainable.”
“Our goal is a clean, accountable, and socially responsible gambling environment. Strengthening TIPOS is not about state control for its own sake – it’s about ensuring that profits generated from gambling are reinvested in Slovak communities, not lost to foreign markets. This amendment is the first step in realigning the system toward public interest, rather than private enrichment.”
However, opposition parties including the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) said the minister was presenting himself as a reformer while avoiding tax and consumer protection concerns. It’s questioned alleged gaps between the tax rate and the amount collected from licensed operators, calling for a parliamentary inquiry on the matter.
