Casino Slovakia

Posted on

Gambling business in Slovakia is allowed and organized at a fairly high level. Almost all forms of gambling have been legalized in the country since 1992. All land-based and online casinos are controlled by the Financial Office (Ministry of Finance of the Slovenian Republic), which maintains a clear list of all gambling establishments and the implementation of the issuance of licenses. All operators are subject to a mandatory income tax of 19% on gambling profits. All legal framework for regulation and control of the gambling business is set out in the Law on Gambling (No. 171/2005).

There are currently four main operators in Slovakia:

  1. Slovaks Online Casino O nline Casinos that accepts casino players from Slovakia are becoming more and more popular for their graphics, efficient banking and promos. For every gambler who lives in Slovakia and seeking for trusted casinos, we have made a selection of ALL the best Slovaks casinos!
  2. The casino Casino Slovakia Bratislava before a withdrawal can be made. It's important to check the terms of the wagering requirement, many times table games Casino Slovakia Bratislava such as Black Jack and Roulette do just contribute with a small percentage (or none at all) towards the wagering requirement.

Slovakia Online Casino Being one of the countries in the Communist Bloc and a part of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia had no land-based casinos until the 1990s. However, according to the latest news, it seems that gambling enthusiasts will have to move to online casinos if they want to play casino games.

  • Slovakia casinos;
  • CBG (Casino Admiral);
  • Banco Casino;
  • Olympic Casino Slovakia.

Also, lotteries operate on the territory of the state, bookmakers operate. Slot machines can be found here almost everywhere: in pubs, cafes, bars, shops. There is no talk of monopolization of the gambling business in Slovakia.

As for online gambling, it is formally legal. Virtual gambling establishments are also controlled by the Ministry of Finance.

Merkur Casino Slovakia

Laws regulating gambling business in Slovakia

The gambling business in Slovakia is regulated by the Law on Gambling (No. 171/2005). According to this law, the following types of gambling are allowed in the country:

  • lotteries;
  • casino games;
  • making bets;
  • slot machines;
  • video terminals for lotteries;
  • online gambling;
  • casino card games;
  • charity lotteries.

The main purpose of the current legislation is to establish clear rules and regulations describing the rights and obligations of operators of gambling entertainment and the players themselves. The Law on Gambling (No. 171/2005) regulates:

  • conditions for carrying out gambling entertainment, their promotion, and also establishes the rights and obligations of operators and players;
  • conditions for the use of technical equipment intended for gambling entertainment;
  • some conditions for the operation of the National Lottery Company;
  • the competence of public authorities and municipalities;
  • state supervision over the organization and conduct of gambling, as well as their promotion.

According to the legislation of Slovakia, only persons who have reached the age of eighteen are eligible to participate in gambling. Operators, in turn, are obliged to take all necessary measures to comply with the age limit (for example, request identification documents). The law also establishes the maximum deposit amount on slot machines – 1,000 SKK (10 EUR).

Since January 2017, amendments to the Law on Gambling have been in effect, signed by the President of the country, Andrei Kiska. According to the new legislation, the country will keep registers of people diagnosed with gambling addiction, as well as people who receive social assistance from the state. The purpose of the registries is to prevent such citizens from playing in casinos and other gambling establishments.

Another important change made it possible to ban gambling in certain cities and villages, if 30% of the population voted for it (for large cities the threshold was lowered to 15%). Also, the updated legislation expanded the powers of financial regulators of the gambling industry and attracted customs authorities to supervise.

Gambling industry regulators

The regulatory body responsible for the control, licensing and taxation of the gambling business is the Ministry of Finance. Members of the Ministry of Finance have the authority to approve legislative changes and introduce new gambling laws.

Also, gambling regulators include:

  • the Financial Directorate of the Slovak Republic (Finančné Riaditeľstvo slovenskej Republiky) operates an information system operator in the field of gambling services, and also maintains a centralized register of operators and gambling houses, and transmits this data to the Ministry within three days from the receipt of the Ministry’s request;
  • tax inspectorate – administers fees paid to the state budget, as well as decides on the payment of financial guarantees for applicants and operators. Also, the tax office has the right to apply penalties in accordance with the current gambling law;
  • customs authorities – supervise compliance with the provisions of the Law on Gambling and other generally accepted legal norms and conditions for conducting transactions related to gambling.

Conditions for obtaining a license in a gambling jurisdiction

There are two types of licenses in Slovakia: general and individual. Individual licenses include licenses for the following activities:

  • lottery;
  • casino entertainment;
  • bet;
  • online casino games;
  • slot machines;
  • lottery video terminals;
  • state lottery;
  • charity lottery.

Licenses can be issued only to a legal entity registered in the territory of the state. To obtain a license, you must submit an appropriate application. Moreover, the registered capital of the applicant must not be less than:

  • 331.9 EUR – for cash and instant lotteries;
  • 66.3 EUR – for playing bingo;
  • 66.3 EUR – for slot machines;
  • 331.9 EUR – for placing bets;
  • 331.9 EUR – for gambling, which is controlled with the help of technical equipment working directly with the help of telecommunication equipment, and for the operation of video lottery terminals;
  • 1 659.6 EUR – for casino gambling.

An application for a license must contain:

  • the name of the company and its legal address;
  • an identification number, if already assigned to the applicant;
  • the amount of the authorized capital;
  • a list of partners or shareholders, possibly recipients, which should include all information about the shareholders and partners of the company;
  • information on the voting rights of a shareholder or partner who has more than 10% of the voting rights in another company, including companies located outside the territory of the Slovak Republic;
  • names, surnames and dates of birth of members of the Board of Directors, Supervisory Board, executives, as well as an individual who will be responsible for the operation;
  • territorial scope and location of the operation;
  • descriptions of the technological equipment used during the operation of the video lottery and telecommunication equipment for conducting gambling;
  • description of other equipment and systems;
  • the estimated start date of the game and its timing.

Also, the applicant must prove the legal origin of the authorized capital and financial resources that represent financial guarantees. The claimant must attach the following documents to the application for an individual license:

  • extract from the trade register (not older than three months from the date of application);
    charter;
  • the draft of the organizational structure of the applicant;
  • business project and financial plan for the operation;
  • a written statement from partners or shareholders that their property has not been declared bankrupt;
  • documents confirming the good faith of the applicant and individuals responsible for the operation of gambling;
  • the game plan (in such a form that, after its approval, it can be placed in the gambling venue);
  • declaration of the applicant for taking measures to prevent persons under 18 years of age;
  • a document confirming the payment of the administrative fee in accordance with special regulations;
  • confirmation of the tax authority on the payment of the entire amount of the financial guarantee;
  • documents on the technical assessment of equipment and systems;
  • confirmation from the tax authority that the applicant has no tax arrears.

Validity periods of individual licenses:

  • two years for instant lotteries;
  • five years for a bet;
  • five years for bingo;
  • one calendar year – for slot machines;
  • two years – for gambling, which is controlled with the help of technical equipment and for the operation of video lottery terminals;
  • five years – for the state lottery;
  • two years for casino games;
  • five years for a charity lottery.

Online gambling in Slovakia

Online gambling in Slovakia is legal. However, it works under the control of authorized state bodies – the Ministry of Finance. To run a website that provides online gambling, the entity must obtain an appropriate license.

In accordance with the law, licenses are only issued to companies operating in the country. Their servers must also be located in Slovakia. The only legal online casino is TIPOS Casino. This operator offers:

  • online lotteries;
  • keno;
  • casino games;
  • poker.

There are also several legal sports betting sites (ifortuna.sk, for example) and the only online bingo platform (eBingo). In 2016, the government announced that all unlicensed online casinos and betting sites would be blocked. However, it is known that the government has not yet granted any official licenses for local companies to open online casinos.

As for foreign online casinos, they are not welcome here and are quite often blocked by providers on the orders of government services. It is very difficult for foreign companies to obtain a license, but this does not prevent Slovak players from freely betting on sports and playing in virtual casinos on unlicensed sites of foreign operators. The current legislation does not provide for any provisions restricting players’ access to such Internet sites.

Currently, Slovak players are ready to accept 183 online casinos that offer gambling in Slovak and English. These sites accept bets both in the national currency of Slovakia – euros, and in US dollars.

Popular slots in Slovakia

  1. Mega Moolah from Microgaming;
  2. Book of Ra by Greentube
  3. Starburst from NetEnt;
  4. Mega Joker from NetEnt;
  5. Sizzling Hot Deluxe by Greentube.

Slovak developers of gambling software

Casino Slovakia

Casino Slovakia Nitra

Only two Slovak gambling software developers are known: Evona Electronic Ltd. and XproGaming.

Evona Electronic Ltd. – specializes in electronic products for the gambling industry. The company has been on the market since 1992, and over time, it has become one of the largest and most significant among other gambling manufacturers. Numerous branches and commercial representations of the company are based not only on the territory of Slovakia, but all over the world.

The range of Evona Electronic Ltd. present:

  • high quality multiuser electronic roulettes;
  • various slot machines;
  • VLT;
  • terminals for sports bets.

The company offers innovative and highly efficient casino management systems, as well as gambling furniture, promotional materials and much more. Thus, Evona Electronic Ltd., provides operators with a one-stop shop for servicing their premises (from the smallest clubs to game rooms in the largest casinos);

XproGaming is a popular provider of quality live dealer gambling. The company has been operating on the market since 2005, and today it provides a fairly wide range of services. Its live games catalog contains many popular gambling entertainments, including:

  1. black Jack;
  2. roulette (European and “dragon”);
  3. baccarat of three types;
  4. Texas Hold’em;
  5. Caribbean poker;
  6. sik bo (classic Asian dice game).

The company also specializes in the production of mobile live games. These apps are optimized for almost all types of smartphones and tablets.

XproGaming uses the latest technology developments to create its software. Apps don’t need to be downloaded. The company offers ready-made solutions for online casino operators: it develops a website (in accordance with customer requirements), connects it to the Live stream, sets up a back office and a payment gateway.

Prospects for the development of gambling business in Slovakia

Slovakia is distinguished by a rather liberal, and at the same time effective, policy in relation to gambling. Since many residents are interested in them, the authorities decided not to prohibit them, but rather to develop them. This should, according to their forecasts, prevent the emergence of illegal gambling establishments. Therefore, the government legalized everything, even the smallest gambling clubs in the country, which were previously in the shadows. Thus, this industry began to bring good revenues to the state budget due to tax deductions (19% of income from each institution).

In 2016, the majority of citizens of the Slovak Republic voted for a complete ban on gambling on the territory of the state. However, so far no action has been taken to implement this prohibition. At the moment, the authorities are more focused on combating unlicensed online casinos, as well as combating gambling addiction.

This centremost Central European country is widely toured by diverse peoples because of its pronounced landscape, various mountains, numerous expensive castles and palaces that are almost everywhere, the remarkable Old Town of Bratislava (with its road exclusively for pedestrians), the Frankovka Modrá red wine, exuberant bistro scenes, Bratislava Castle, the sewer worker of Čumil, the Múzeum Kysuckej Dediny.

The spontaneous Slovak National Museum blessed with well-defined artifacts, arts and crafts, the High Tatras, the Danube River, the Spiš Castle, and many more unmistakable attractions. When it comes to gambling, Slovakia is imperfectly rich and partially worthwhile for it is still young.

History of Casinos in Slovakia

While the exact roots of gambling in Slovakia is quite unknown, wagering on horse races have existed in the country since the 19th century. In fact, this form of gambling was widely popular in the country at the time and still popular today. Hungarian politician Count István Széchenyi (popularly known as the Greatest Hungarian) organized the first racing meeting of Hungary in Bratislava on April 16th, 1826. A year later, the horses to be used for the race were transported from Kopčany, Slovakia to Kladruby nad Labem, Czech. Finally, the race successfully took place in Budapest, Hungary on June 6th, 1827.

Some 12 years later (1839), the Racing Association was founded in Bratislava. This association created schedules and conditions for organizing horse races in Slovakia. In accordance, the first horse racing competition took place in 1841. In 1865, the very first steeplechase (a kind of horse race) in Slovakia took place in the same Bratislava. On November 14th, 1866, the Racing Association founded the Carpathian Horse Racing Association in Košice – and its first meeting was held on June 23rd, 1867.

The Trial Stakes of Austria-Hungary was to hold in 1868 so they established the first hippodrome in Bratislava. The Trial Stakes ran until 1878 when it was transferred to Austrian capital Vienna. For a number of years now, Turf Direktorium Für Die Slowakei have been organizing and operating horse races in Slovakia. The company belongs to the (France-based) International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.

Furthermore, the Slovak National Lottery was established on December 11th, 1992 as a joint-stock state monopoly. The lottery is officially called TIPOS and greatly owned by the Ministry of Finance, the Physical Culture Association, and the Ministry of Culture. According to Slovak laws, TIPOS is the only company that can offer numerical lotteries, cash receipts lotteries, special bingo, and online gambling games (or Internet Games, as stated in the Act) within Slovakia.

Nevertheless, casinos emerged in the country in the 1990s with the establishment of Casinos Slovakia Inc. in 1990. In 1991, the company opened its first casino in Piešťany: Casino Piešťany Pribinova. Following this, they opened Casino Košice in 1993 and Casino Café Reduta in 1994. (The company also opened two new casinos in 2007.) While casinos have a short history in Slovakia (when compared to other countries in Europe), there are more than 30 casinos in Slovakia currently.

On the legal side, all facilities and activities of gambling in the country are supervised by five Slovak entities: the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Directorate, municipalities, customs offices, and tax offices. Further, there have been a number of licensing laws in the country for a number of years but-officially-the 2005 Gambling Act (numbered 171/2005) is the most relevant law of gambling in the country.

Casino Slovakia

The Gambling Act is currently in use with two amendments made in 2011 and 2012 individually, Also, in 2016, offshore online gambling operators were permitted to offer their services to Slovaks but they must be licensed in the country, situated their servers within the country, and ready to pay a tax of 27 percent. Unfortunately, there are no licensees so far in February 2018.

According to the Gambling Act, lottery games, casino gambling, betting, gaming machines, video lottery terminals, electronic games, charity lotteries, online gambling, card games outside casinos, and ‘Other Games’ (which are games that match the definition of gambling games in the Gambling Act) are equally legal in Slovakia.

In addition to the Gambling Act, some other laws (such as the Criminal Code, the Administrative Procedure Code, the AML Act, and the Tax Code) impose one or more conditions for gambling in Slovakia.

Current Gambling Climate

Today, there are 38 casinos in Slovakia along with numerous sportsbooks, bingo halls, lottery outlets, poker clubs, etc. Casino gambling and all other forms of gambling are legal. However, there are certain limitations especially when it comes to online gambling. But nonetheless, the limitations do not hinder the casino entertainment of Slovakia.

As a country, Slovakia is attractive to tourists and this can be credited to its enormous list of natural attractions. When combined with its above-average gambling industry, Slovakia is a remarkable destination for players. Luxury, as well as variety, is readily available and the gambling atmosphere is marked with excitement.

Casinos in Slovakia by Area

The 38 casinos in Slovakia are spread throughout a number of regions; these are Košice, Piešťany, Žilina, Zvolen, Trenčín, Prievidza, Poprad, Nitra, Kežmarok, Skalica, Trnava, Žiar nad Hronom, and Bratislava. Bratislava is the largest casino city in Slovakia, with almost 10 casinos, about 50 table games, and approximately 500 gaming machines.

With 288 gaming machines and 11 table games, the Grand Casino Admiral Bratislava is the largest casino throughout the length and breadth of Slovakia. Lastly, other casinos have nothing close to Grand Casino Admiral Bratislava; casinos such as Olympic Casino Košice and Olympic Casino Bratislava, Carlton have gaming machines just above 50.

Types of Casinos in Slovakia

Casino gambling in Slovakia is extensive, with games such as Blackjack, Oasis Poker, Punto Banco, Blackjack Switch, American Roulette, Oasis Stud Poker, Mini-Baccarat, Electronic Roulette, Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, Texas Hold’em, Baccarat, Billiards, Draw Poker, Tropical Stud Poker, Slot Machines, Video Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, NL Texas Hold’em, 8-Pin Ball Roulette, Admiral Ride Poker, Mini Punto Banco, and 5 Card Stud. Also, these casinos are located in luxe hotels or resorts, or close to one.

Poker and bingo (plus special bingo) are well-known in this part of Europe. There are many poker clubs (Poker Club Monte Carlo Košice as a prime example) and bingo halls across the country. Moreover, like every other European territory, sports betting is the country’s favorite form of gambling. Football (soccer) is generally well-liked while pari-mutuel betting on horse races is historic. There are three horse racetracks in the country: Závodisko Bratislava, Závodisko Senica, and Závodisko Šurany.

Lotteries are also popular in the country and there are many different classifications of lotteries, For one, the state lottery (the Slovak National Lottery, operated by a company named TIPOS) offers a number of lottery games which include Mates, Stávka, Šanca, Stastna 7, Bohati a zdravi, 10 Klub Keno, Zverokruh, Loto 5/35 Keno, Športka, Euromania, and Tipos Bingo. Meanwhile, other establishments can operate lottery games provided they are not classified as a state lottery; these could be instant lotteries or charity lotteries.

Online gambling – with an exception of TIPOS – was highly prohibited in Slovakia for a long time. In fact, the 2005 Gambling Act specifically limited ‘Internet Games’ to the state lottery. Today, however, Slovaks and other people in Slovakia can access offshore gambling websites and participate in legal gambling activities without any penalization – and licensing is possible.

List of Casinos in Slovakia

Below is a list of all casinos currently operating in the regions of Slovakia.

Admiral Club Casino
Banco Casino & Crowne Plaza Bratislava
Casino Admiral Nitra
Casino Admiral Trnava
Casino Admiral Zilina
Casino Café Reduta
Casino Piešťany Pribinova
Casino Sport
Casino Žilina
Grand Casino Admiral Bratislava
Merkur Casino – Bratislava 2
Merkur Casino – Bratislava 3
Merkur Casino – Bratislava 4
Merkur Casino – Bratislava 6
Merkur Casino – Košice
Merkur Casino – Nitra
Merkur Casino – Skalica
Merkur Casino – Trenčín
Merkur Casino – Žilina
OlyBet Slots & Sports Bar Bratislava – CENTRAL
Olympic Casino Bratislava, Carlton
Olympic Casino Bratislava, Eurovea
Olympic Casino Košice
Olympic Casino Trenčín
Olympic Casino Trnava
Olympic Casino Žilina & Hotel Holiday Inn
Park Casino
Poker Club Monte Carlo Košice
Radisson BLU Carlton Hotel & Olympic Casino
Rebuy Stars Casino Bratislava
Rebuy Stars Casino Bratislava – Pečnianska
Rebuy Stars Casino Nitra
Rebuy Stars Casino Piešťany
Rebuy Stars Casino Poprad
Rebuy Stars Casino Prievidza
Rebuy Stars Casino Zvolen
Rebuy Stars Zvolen Pribinova

Facts About Casinos in Slovakia

– The minimum gambling age in Slovakia is 18 years like most countries.

– Any draw and lottery with a prize below €1,500 is not a gambling game in Slovakia. Actually, games of skill are not gambling games as well.

– There are general licenses for draw lotteries, raffles, and card games (those played outside a casino). Other forms of gambling have individual licenses; these include lottery games, casino gambling, gaming machines, betting, and online gambling).

– A licensee must have at least €500,000 at the disposal of the establishment.

– The Ministry of Finance decides who to issue a license or not, and takes 15 to 60 days to decide.

– The Ministry deals with the licensing and regulation of any gambling establishment within the country while the Tax Office of the Slovak Republic deals with the taxation of these establishments and enforce they comply with the laws.

– While individual licenses are indefinite, other licenses have a stipulated timeframe. For example, licenses for the state lottery, charity lotteries, betting and bingo (excluding special bingo) are valid for five years while licenses for ‘Other Games’, casino gambling, telecommunication games, instant lotteries, and draw lotteries are valid for two years.

– Gambling operators are obliged to pay 21 percent income tax and the appropriate gambling levy: 15 percent for state raffles and draw lotteries, 30 percent for casino gambling, 1 percent for horse race betting, 4 percent for special bingo, 4.5 percent for bingo, 6 percent for betting games and charity lotteries, 20 percent for numerical lotteries, etc.

– Slot machines are very popular in Slovakia. There are numerous in coffeehouses, shops, and pubs across the country.

– In 2011, it was suggested to the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic to block offshore gambling websites but the Ministry instantly declined the suggestion because of some critiques from the European Commission and the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic.

– In 2011, the world-famous World Poker Tournament was hosted in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava. The poker ended with a cash prize of €140,685 won by Roberto Romanello, an expert from Wales.

– The majority of casinos in Slovakia are owned by Olympic Entertainment Group, Casinos Slovakia Inc., Rebuy Stars, and Merkur Group.

– In Slovakia, players from a territory of the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have an equal right.

– Although TIPOS was established in 1992, it started operating precisely on December 1st, 1993 – the exact date that marked the cessation of Czechoslovakia as well as the independence of the Slovak Republic.

– TIPOS paid SKK3.3 billion worth of cash prizes in 2006 and SKK5.1 in 2007.

– There are about 266 gambling websites accepting players from Slovakia.

– Although players are not persecuted for engaging in Bitcoin gambling, Bitcoin – according to the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) – is not qualified as a currency. Therefore, the country does not support its use – and the European law is a plus to this opposition. As a result, Bitcoin gambling is not regulated in Slovakia but neither is it abolished.

– In Slovakia, illegal gambling generates about €28 million a year.

Related Posts: