Online gambling in Poland is legal but tightly restricted. Private operators may offer only licensed online fixed-odds sports betting under a six-year Ministry of Finance licence, while online casino games, number games and e-lotteries are a state monopoly operated solely by Totalizator Sportowy (Total Casino and iLotto). Any other online casino - including offshore and crypto sites - is unlicensed in Poland and may be blocked. Winnings are taxed 10% at source.

Gambling is governed by the Gambling Act of 2009 (substantially amended in 2017). Two categories matter:

  • Online sports betting - open to private operators who hold a Polish licence (valid six years).
  • Online casino games, slots, number games and e-lotteries - reserved as a state monopoly for the state-owned operator Totalizator Sportowy, which launched Total Casino (TotalCasino.pl) and iLotto.pl on 5 December 2018.

Everything else offered online is unlicensed. Enforcement targets operators rather than individual players, and the state maintains a Register of Illegal Gambling Domains used to block access to unauthorised sites. According to a Ministry of Finance analysis published in June 2025, the online grey market fell from 79.7% in 2016 to 29.1% in 2023.

The regulator and licensing regime

Gambling is supervised by the Ministry of Finance together with the National Revenue Administration (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa, KAS). KAS handles audits, taxation and enforcement, including domain blocking - internet providers must block registered domains, and payment providers must block transactions to them. Sports-betting licences are granted per operator and require PLN support and Polish KYC.

Licensed vs offshore operators

TypeExamplesStatus
State online casino / lotteryTotal Casino, iLotto (Totalizator Sportowy)Only legal online casino/lottery
Licensed sports bettingSTS, Fortuna, Superbet, LV BET, Betclic PL, Betfan, forBETLegal, MoF-licensed
Offshore casinos / crypto sitesInternational brandsUnlicensed; may be domain-blocked

Polish players do access offshore sites, but those sites are not licensed locally and offer no Polish consumer protection.

Payments Polish players use

Licensed sites support PLN via familiar local rails:

  • BLIK - Poland’s dominant mobile/instant payment system.
  • Bank transfers and cards (Visa/Mastercard).
  • E-wallets where supported.

Licensed operators must process payments through regulated providers and do not accept direct cryptocurrency.

Crypto gambling is a grey area. No Polish statute clearly legalises or bans it. Licensed operators do not take payment directly in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Offshore crypto casinos are unlicensed and can be blocked via the domain register. Treat them as outside the regulated system with no Polish consumer protection.

Tax on player winnings

A 10% tax is withheld at source by the operator, so players typically do not declare winnings themselves. Single wins from number games, cash lotteries, telebingo and betting up to about 2,280 PLN (approx. EUR 520) are exempt. A 2025 bill to raise the rate to 15% was vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki on 18 December 2025, so 10% remains in force.

Safer gambling resources

If gambling stops being fun, help is free and confidential:

  • Behavioural-addiction helpline (Telefon Zaufania Uzaleznien Behawioralnych): 801 889 880 (daily 5pm-10pm)
  • Gamblers Anonymous (Anonimowi Hazardzisci): in-person groups operate in several Polish cities
  • Children and teens (Telefon Zaufania dla Dzieci i Mlodziezy): 800 119 119

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive - play responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Sources