Slovakia bans Twitch due to illegal gambling

Is Online Gambling Legal in Slovakia?

The National Gambling Act was changed on January 29th, 2019. Now, the doors are open to online operators who are willing to comply with regulations. As with all gambling in Slovakia, the legal age to gamble online is eighteen years old.

Tipos, the state-owned outlet, now only maintains control of the lottery, bingo and raffles. Online sports betting is now in the pipeline and licences are currently under consideration. The first of these licences will be granted from July 1st, 2020.

The Slovakian government asks international providers that wish to participate in the Slovakian market to partner up with a local representative. This local representative will act as a conduit and liaison with the government. This step is instrumental in green-lighting their approval. This new rule will ensure that only legitimate operators are granted licences.

Those that wish to operate online casino games will have to fork out €3 million for a 10-year licence. The same fee applies to online sports betting. However, those that intend to deliver both pay €5 million for the dual licence.

Playing with Real Money – Can You Deposit Euros at Slovakian Online Casinos?

Slovakian Gamblers are fortunate to be part of the Eurozone and that the country has opted to switch to the Euro as their currency. This means that players can deposit and withdraw in Euros.

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted for deposits. Alternative-banking options such as electronic wallets like PayU and Skrill are also accepted by many platforms. Neteller and SEPA are also popular choices for payments in Slovakia.

Not in the Eurozone? Most Slovak online casinos accept other currencies so be sure to read the fine print before signing up.

Slovakia Combats Gambling Black-Market with Whitelist

Regulation

Author: Joseph Skelker

Slovakia’s gambling authority, The Office for the Regulation of Gambling, has announced that it is creating a whitelist of gambling websites that are run by licensed operators. The aim is to help players identify which sites are legal for them to play at.

Slovakia has been updating a mirror list of illegal websites for a number of years, but it seems this has not been enough to ensure that players stick to licensed operators. The general director of the Slovakia gambling authority, Dávid Lenčéš, explained that this is because unlicensed operators are extremely inventive and adept at finding new ways of attracting players.

We prevent one illegal website from operating, and another one is created immediately. The creativity of their operators has no limits. They often try to motivate players with irresistible bonus offers, modern visuals, unlimited deposits, and in the case of foreign operators, the perfect Slovak language. If players do not check the mandatory details of the website, they may have no reason to suspect that it is illegal content operating outside our country. However, by playing on the illegal website, they are depriving themselves of the possibility of getting their winnings and their legal protection under the laws in force in the Slovak Republic.

Dávid LenčéšGeneral Director of Slovakian Office for the Regulation of Gambling

Lenčéš said that the new whitelist will contain details of all licensed websites and other entities. Any gambling operator or brand not included on the list is illegal for Slovakian players. He hopes that players will check the whitelist before joining a new site and, this way, avoid any future disappointment.

Gambling websites will be included on the list as long as they meet the regulations set out in Slovakia’s Gambling Act. Those who advertise illegal sites are subject to fines ranging from €50,000 a person up to €250,000 for AI promotions.

Slovakia has a new regulation of gambling games in accordance with a new Act No. 30/2019 Coll. on Gambling Games (the Act) effective as of 1 March 2019.

The Act regulates in particular the operation of online gambling games and allows also foreign gambling games operators from the EU to obtain individual licenses for online gambling games in Slovakia. The individual license for online gambling games will be subject to approval by the newly established Regulatory Office for Gambling (the Office). The legal entity applying for a license must have its registered seat either in Slovakia or other EU Member State.

Casino Guide in Slovakia

Situated in a mountainous region in central Europe, Slovakia is a land-locked country blessed with beautiful natural wonders, landscapes, and sceneries. It is also known for its rich history, heritage, and folklore. It covers about 49,000 sq/m of territory and has over 5.4 million inhabitants, with over 430,000 of them residing in the capital city of Bratislava.

Gambling is quite popular in the country since the 19th century. Casinos started to operate in the country in the 1990s. There are now over 30 casinos across Slovakia.

Pay the Local Way

Slovakian players will be able to transfer money to their online accounts by using a number of practical payment methods. Credit cards, prepaid vouchers, but also local payment services like Sporopay, are just some of the options you can use to fund your account. However, when it comes to withdrawals, the operator prefers to send payments back to your local bank account.

Regardless of what payment method you use, eTIPOS Casino will be able to process your transfers without any fees. The minimum you can deposit is a low €1 and there is no maximum limit. As for the cashouts, the casino states that any amount less than €10,000 can be sent directly to a player’s bank account, while amounts exceeding that limit have to be collected at the local offices of TIPOS. There’s also no information on how fast the payments are nor is there any data on whether eTIPOS allows manual flushing, withdrawal reversals, or payouts during the weekends.

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Offshore Casino Sites for Slovak Players

As you will no doubt be aware, an offshore casino is any site which offers gameplay services to players in one country, while being licensed (or based) in another. Given that Slovakia only offers up one legitimate casino, this term can practically be used to describe all other online casinos.

Foreign online casinos will still cater to players in the country, and although it is technically illegal for Slovaks to play at those domains, they are free to do so. The government of the country does not punish their nationals for playing at international websites.There the Ministry of Finances flirted with the idea of hunting down unlicensed operators and fining them, as well as putting in blocks so that Slovak players couldn’t access the major domains. However, fierce criticism from the European Union and ISPs (internet service providers) put paid to this idea. As a result, Slovaks are free to play at offshore casinos as they see fit.

Welcome bonuses

It is important to know that you have the possibility to claim a sign-up matched bonus for your first deposit. In other situations, you can redeem a welcome package that can boost your balance with lots of money and extra spins.

Usually, this welcome package is valid for your initial 4-5 deposits. Whichever option you choose, note that you must complete a rollover (Deposit + Bonus x30). You must not forget to check very well the Terms & Conditions.

You may also go for no wagering casino bonuses to be able to make the most out of your promotion and keep what you win!

Online casino and gambling laws in Slovakia

There are 11 cities located within Slovakia that have gambling facilities, so it’s easy to see how widespread the industry is in the country and how influential the legality is. Casinos, online gambling, sports-betting parlours, bingo centres, and lotteries are all legal.

The Act No 171/2005 on Gambling Games was introduced in 2005, and aside from some amendments since, has remained relatively open and loose when it comes to gambling. The Ministry of Finance overseas all gambling in Slovakia, and regulates both online and land-based gambling offerings in the country.

Today, there are eight major casinos located throughout Slovakia, with countless other gambling options available both online and in properties.

Interestingly, while the law suggests that operators must have a license, only a handful of licenses have actually been granted. Private operators are online eligible for online sports betting, with all other outlets owned and operated by the state-backed TIPOS corporation.

The government tried to force ISPs to ban access to foreign online gambling sites in 2011. However, it backed down from its plan after fierce opposition locally and from EU legislators.

Casino Bonuses and Free Spins

One of the most frequently viewed pages on any online casino site is their bonuses page. We all love to get something for nothing and to feel that our loyalty is being rewarded the longer that we stay with a particular casino. The market is awash with competition so it makes sense that online casinos up their game and find new ways to encourage their players to remain with them. Slovakian players can get cashback bonuses, deposit bonuses and free spins.

Customer Support

Customer support is always very important. These online casinos have a customer-centric mindset that is represented by flexibility in terms of contact methods, availability and professionalism.

Is Gambling Legal In Slovakia?

Gambling is legal in Slovakia. The Gambling Act of 2005 was implemented, allowing gambling operations to be regulated and taxed. Slovakia adopted specific gambling legislation in early 2019 to monitor and control the online gambling sector.

Slovakia’s president voted against the new legislation, but the Slovak parliament later overturned it.

Today, gambling participation is relatively stable in Slovakia.

Bigger Gambling Limits

Most locally licensed online casinos in Slovakia have pretty average deposit and withdrawal limits which can be frustrating so many Slovakian players choose casinos with foreign licenses in order to avoid these limits. There is nothing worse than winning a big sum and having to split your withdrawals into several days or even weeks in some cases, with casinos which have low weekly withdrawal limits. Same goes for big players who are used to depositing big sums and wagering a lot, online casinos with foreign licenses make you forget these issues as most have no deposit and withdrawal limits or have them set really high (3BTC-5BTC per transaction).

Such limits are more than enough for 99.9% of online casino players and that, combined with quick processing times is a huge benefit of having an account with an international license if you are a player from Slovakia.

Musím platiť dane z výhier v nelicencovanom kasíne?

Nie. Hoci platia na Slovensku dane z výhier, výhry v kasínach, lotériách a na hazardných hrách patria medzi výnimky a nemusíte z nich odvádzať dane. Dávajte si pozor na online kasína, ktoré tvrdia niečo iné. Hranie v nelicencovaných kasínach vám však môže spôsobiť problémy so zákonom aj tak, keďže konáte nelegálne.

Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Slovakia

Thanks to the new gambling act passed on the 1st of March 2019, players can now enjoy legal online gambling in the country, as independent operators can apply for a license and provide Slovakian players with high-quality games completely legal.

The lottery still remains under the control of TIPOS, but nonetheless, the improvements in the gambling sector are huge. Surely, there will be some years until we see it fully grow to its potential but any single step in the right direction is a great thing for Slovakian gamblers.

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Top Slovakian Online Casinos With Free Spins & No Deposit Bonuses

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Some of thе casinos havе made the nеcessary аrrangements to mеet these rеquirements. Others simply аllow plаyers from Slovakia to sign up fоr аn аccount and kеep their headquarters elsewhere. BonusMаniac listеd the best casinos with huge bonuses.

Olympic Casino Bratislava

Another popular destination for visitors to Bratislava is the Olympic casino, which provides a one-of-a-kind experience for all visitors.

The casino is located within the Radisson Carlton Hotel, making it a must-stay for any poker fan to be close to the action. Some of the more popular gambling games that guests can enjoy are blackjack, baccarat and roulette.

List of Slovakian Online Casino Bonuses

When choosing an online casino, we know that nothing beats good quality bonuses and promotions. We seriously can’t blame our fellow players for utilising every bonus or promotion available to them. Thus, if you want to extend your playtime, you should consider the following offers:

Welcome Deposit Bonuses:

Once you create an account and complete a deposit, the casino will match it with bonus funds. This bonus is likely the first one you’ll run across. In some cases, the welcome bonus package can extend to several subsequent deposits and include other types of promotions, like free spins on video slot machines, for example.

Reload Bonuses:

Once you use your first deposit bonus, you’ll have a shot at claiming a similar promotion labelled as a reload bonus. This reload is another match deposit bonus, although it’s often lower than the original welcome bonus. The key difference between the welcome and reload bonuses is that the latter is usually available only after you use your welcome bonus funds.

Loyalty Bonuses:

If you’re a regular player of casino games in Slovakia, you’ll encounter that is perhaps one of the best bonuses. For your loyalty, you might be entitled to Loyalty Bonus offers. The casino may supply these offers to valued Customers who spent so much time engaging with the casino that it would seem natural to receive some extra goodies. The same goes for VIPs, meaning highly-rated customers. If you want to catch this type of promotion, make sure to look out for exclusive promos sent directly to your email address!

No Deposit Bonuses:

Although rare, some Slovakian casinos offer no deposit bonuses to their new customers. You can claim this bonus at some online casinos when you register or enter a special bonus code sent to your email address. However, the downside is that no deposit bonuses have low value (usually between 5 and 20 EUR) and strict wagering requirements.

Free Spins:

Free spins are the only type of bonus that doesn’t come in bonus cash. Instead, you’ll get a set of spins to use on selected online video slots. Depending on the casino and offer, this can be ten to a few hundred spins. Mind you, though — the winnings acquired from free spins need to be wagered before you’re allowed to cash out.

Cashback:

Every player can hit a rough patch and go through a losing streak. If and when that happens, cashback promotions are there to compensate for the portion of your losses. For instance, if you lost 200 EUR during the promotional week, the 10% cashback promotion will see you get 20 EUR back in the form of bonus money. However, this bonus is rare and is offered only by the very best online casinos.