New Croatian gambling regulations could cause up to 15% drop in venues
The new Croatian Gambling Law is scheduled to be fully implemented by early 2026.
Croatia.- The government has provided instructions for new Croatian gambling legislation to be fully implemented by early next year. New regulations will include tighter player protection requirements, a hike in gambling fees and taxes, new rules for gambling venues and restrictions on gambling advertising.
Both online and retail locations will have to implement mandatory player identification, which will allow gambling activity to be monitored. The government has also ordered the creation of a national self-exclusion scheme within 190 days.
Meanwhile, gambling advertising on television, radio, and media platforms will be prohibited between 6am and 11pm. The government is also considering a ban on gambling adverts in public places and in print media. Adverts will not be allowed to use celebrities, athletes, or social media influencers.
As for online ads, operators must take measures to prevent them from reaching minors. The government will create a new dedicated regulatory agency to monitor the compliance of all gambling operators. It will have the power to revoke licences and impose fines. For advertising infringements, there will be direct penalties or the possibility of advertising suspensions.
Controls on land-based gambling venues
The government has claimed that retail gambling venues, which comprise 6,300 gaming halls and 1,300 betting shops, are currently a “point of failure” when it comes to player protection. It plans to reduce access by banning self-service betting terminals in restaurants, cafes and other venues.
Meanwhile, municipal authorities will be told to undertake reviews of the gambling venues in their jurisdictions to ensure that gaming halls are located at least 500 metres from educational institutions and religious sites, and that betting shops are located at least 200 metres away. It’s thought that the reviews could lead to a reduction of up to 15 per cent in the number of gambling venues.
Croatian gambling tax to rise
The Croatian gambling reforms will also see an increase in licence fees and tax rates. Licence fees for land-based casinos will rise from €400,000 to €600,000, while online gambling licences will rise from €265,445 to €398,168 and the fee for land-based betting shops will increase from €132,722 to €200,000.
Gambling winnings will be taxed on a sliding scale from 10 per cent for winnings up to €1,500 to 30 per cent for winnings over €70,000. The government expects to raise an extra €50m to €70m per year. Around 11 per cent of gambling revenue will be directed to addiction prevention and treatment. Funds will also go to education, civil society and social activities.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković pledged to introduce tougher gambling regulations in his third term, which began last May. In July, he submitted a draft decree drafted by finance minister Marko Primorac proposing the urgent reform of Croatia’s Gambling Act of 2009.
In a bid to reduce addiction, Plenković’s Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) government took input from the Croatian Institute of Public Health, which raised concerns about the rate of minors gambling. The health body estimates that 5 per cent of adults and 6 per cent of young adults suffer from gambling harm.
