Poland learns from 2009 mistake, doubles down on new gambling bill

Seven years after outlawing gambling, the Polish government is considering a new legislation that will allow sports betting and online poker again in the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin confirmed that the government “is working on a new gambling.” In an interview with Polish Radio, Gowin admitted that “Poland suffered enormous, multibillion losses” after the Gambling Act was introduced by then Prime Minister Donald Tusk in 2009. That bill banned gambling outside casinos and online.

“That is why a few months ago we decided to change the law so that money flowed back into the budget,” Gowin said, according to the Polish news outlet.

The latest draft indicated that slot machines would be nationalized, operating under the national lottery services. In May, Poland’s Ministry of Finance hinted that the revisions to the country’s gambling laws will include allowing Polish-licensed online operators to offer online slots, provided they toe the line regarding responsible gambling protections for consumers.