--- title: "Czech Republic gambling licensing, cost and supervision | advennt.io" canonical: https://advennt.io/jurisdictions/czech-republic/ source_html: /jurisdictions/cz/index.html description: "Czech Republic gambling regulation by game: 9 open · 1 restricted · 2 closed · 6 uncertain · 2 not yet assessed." generated_at: 2026-11-07T14:55:18Z content_sha256: 16a2f3c907e8361363005f376ae79ab7e6d86bd3953c3ae09703b0bb3ca5b3c9 generator: "fe-fleet/md-twin@1.0" --- # Czech Republic gambling licensing, cost and supervision | advennt.io [Jurisdictions](/jurisdictions/) › Czech Republic # Czech Republic Online Gambling Regulation, Licensing & Tax Regime Attractive, stable EU market — viable for well-capitalised operators able to absorb 30%/35% GGR tax and CZK 30-50m deposits. [9 open · 1 restricted · 2 closed · 6 uncertain · 2 not yet assessed → 20 classes](#products) Collected 25 Oct 2026 · Published 25 Oct 2026 · Changed 18 Oct 2026 [PDF](report.pdf) [Sign in for PDF](https://advennt.io/auth/) [Compare](/compare/?j=czech-republic) Regulatory Dimension Czech Republic Standing Position Jurisdiction Czech Republic (CZ) Primary Gambling Regulator See Licensing & Regulation section Product Access Summary 9 open · 1 restricted · 2 closed · 6 uncertain · 2 not yet assessed Permitted (Open) Verticals Casino, Poker, Bingo, Lottery, Sports betting, Esports betting, Pool betting, Sweepstakes, Free play Restricted / Monopoly Verticals Payments for gambling Prohibited (Closed) Verticals Exchange betting, Prediction markets Primary Instruments Referenced CZ-ACT-186-2016-EN Verification & Currency Expert reviewed · Published 25 Oct 2026 (collected 25 Oct 2026) ## Can we offer our product? Every product class, in fixed taxonomy order. The band is what you can do; where the recorded legal status says something the band does not, it is shown beside the product. ### Player products - CasinoModels agreeOOpen - PokerOOpen - BingoModels agreeOOpen - LotteryModels agreeOOpenVaries by form · 1Raffle: prohibited - Sports bettingOOpen - Other event betting–Not yet assessed - Horse and greyhound racing betting–Not yet assessed - Esports bettingOOpen - Exchange bettingProhibited · Models agreeXClosed - Pool bettingModels agreeOOpen - Virtual event bettingGrey zone · Contested?Uncertain - Fantasy sportsGrey zone · Models agree?Uncertain - Skill gamesGrey zone · Contested?UncertainVaries by form · 1Pure skill: outside_perimeter - Prediction marketsProhibited · Models agreeXClosed - SweepstakesOutside the regulatory perimeter · Models agreeOOpen - Free playOutside the regulatory perimeter · Models agreeOOpen ### Supply roles - Software / B2BNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Affiliate marketingNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Payments for gamblingRRestricted ### Settlement rail - Crypto gamblingGrey zone?Uncertain Class-level certainty is graded for 11 of 20 classes. ## Board briefing Czech Republic: open EU-licensed market, high-tax, capital-heavy, tightening trajectory. #### What has changed - The 2024 amendment raised gambling tax to 30% GGR for most products (35% for casino, technical games and lotteries), lowered the player-winnings tax exemption to CZK 50,000, added live-dealer games to the catalogue, extended the online-gambling definition to any game accessible in CZ territory, introduced app-blocking and a 48-hour panic button, and permitted CZ-licensed operators to serve foreign players. #### What to do now - Re-model the P&L on 30%/35% GGR (NOT the legacy 23%); budget CZK 30-50m security deposits per game type; secure an EU/EEA establishment; sequence lab certification and server localisation; build mandatory registration, self-exclusion-register checks and panic-button tooling before launch. #### What to watch - Advertising watershed/content tightening in consultation; possible further tax review under fiscal pressure; intensified Financial Administration data-analytics audits. ## 11 answers, each dated and graded The weather grades favourability for an operator, not legality: legality is the product table above. The left rule is our confidence: solid confirmed, dashed probable, dotted uncertain. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Overview The Czech online gambling market enters this cycle with a stable licensing core and an active enforcement edge. Twenty-seven entities, twenty-four Czech and three foreign, hold an online-casino licence as of 11 May 2026, and the Ministry of Finance continues to issue licences on a rolling basis unde… Full analysis · 141 words The Czech online gambling market enters this cycle with a stable licensing core and an active enforcement edge. Twenty-seven entities, twenty-four Czech and three foreign, hold an online-casino licence as of 11 May 2026, and the Ministry of Finance continues to issue licences on a rolling basis under Act No. 186/2016 Coll., the Gambling Act. The defining development this cycle is not a change to that statutory core but an enforcement extension: the Ministry of Finance added Polymarket, a decentralized prediction-market platform, to the Blacklist of unauthorized internet games, mirroring coordinated action against the same platform in France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands. Read together with the first major 2026 licence-renewal cycle applying revised technical and anti-money-laundering conditions, the jurisdiction reads as a stable, mature regulated market whose enforcement perimeter and compliance floor are both moving upward this cycle. - High GGR tax (30%/35%) - Substantial security deposits (CZK 30-50m per game type) - Concentrated market dominated by incumbents - Tightening RG and advertising rules ### Czech Republic Gambling — Licensing and regulation ## Licence Triggers A licence is required for any gambling game accessible in the territory of the Czech Republic. ## Array/Type of licences needed Online Gambling operators are required to obtain an ‘Initial licence’ and a ‘Basic licence’ from the Ministry to operate any of the permitted types o… Full analysis · 1275 words ## Licence Triggers A licence is required for any gambling game accessible in the territory of the Czech Republic. ## Array/Type of licences needed Online Gambling operators are required to obtain an ‘Initial licence’ and a ‘Basic licence’ from the Ministry to operate any of the permitted types of gambling, with the exception of a raffle and a small size tournament. The Initial licence certifies the fulfilment of the general conditions for operation of gambling games. For each type of gambling permitted under the Gambling Act, a separate Basic licence will be needed. Therefore, if for example, an operator wants to offer odds betting, a technical game, and a live game, it will be required to hold three separate Basic licences. Basic licence application fee is CZK 5,000. For the operation of gambling in land-based form, a ‘gambling premises location licence’ issued by local municipalities is required, in addition to the Initial licence and Basic licence. A gambling premises licence is issued, under delegated jurisdiction, by the municipal authority of the municipality within whose territorial jurisdiction the gambling premises intended for the respective gambling type are to be located. The gambling premises mean a gambling room or a casino. “Gambling room” means standalone, structurally separated premises on which a technical game is operated as a core activity. “Casino” means a standalone, structurally separated premises on which a live game is operated as a core activity. In the gambling premises location licence, the municipal authority will approve of the gambling room or casino location, operation of the respective gambling type, opening hours of the gambling premises and the number of the terminal devices through which the game will be operated, including their types, serial number(s) and the precise quantity of the game access points. A municipality may, based on Act No. 128/2000 Coll., on Municipalities (Municipal System), issue a generally applicable decree laying down that land-based bingo, technical games, live games or small size tournaments may be operated only at the places and times specified by the generally applicable decree, or, laying down the places and times at which operation of the above games is prohibited, or, laying down that the operation of such games is completely prohibited throughout the municipality territory. ## Period of licence & renewal process An Initial licence is not issued for any definite time period. Maximum period of a Basic licence is 6 years. A Basic licence can be renewed only based on a new licence application, i.e. it is not a renewal per se. ## Application timeframe and phases The timeframe depends on the type of Basic licence that the operator applies for. In general, it can take approximately 2 – 4 months (from filing of a licence application) to obtain an online odds-betting Basic licence. As for online casino Basic licences (technical games and/or live games), it depends on the number of individual games that the operator wants to offer. In general, it can take approximately 3 – 6 months (from filing of a licence application) to obtain an online casino Basic licence. ## Initial licence - Applicant Considerations The applicant for Initial licence must satisfy the following conditions (“Conditions”) in order to obtain and keep an Initial licence: (a)General eligibility to operate gambling (“General Eligibility”). See below for more details; (b)Clean criminal record. This means that neither the applicant nor any of the Relevant Persons (defined below) have been sentenced for a deliberate criminal offence, or for an economic criminal offence, or for a criminal offence against property in the Czech Republic and any country of their origin; (c)Debt-free status. This means that neither the applicant nor any of the Relevant Persons (defined below) will owe any money to tax/financial/custom/health insurance/social security/employment authorities in the Czech Republic and any country of their origin, (d)Provision of a Surety. See below for more details; and (e)Applicant/operator not being in liquidation or declared bankrupt: (i) within the last 3 years prior to the date of issue of the Initial licence; and (ii) for the duration of the legal effects of the Initial licence. The General Eligibility is satisfied if the applicant: has a registered office in the Czech Republic, or in another EU Member State or in a State that is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area; has an organisational structure with a proper, transparent and coherent definition of responsibilities and decision-making powers; have in exitence a “control body” (e.g. supervisory body, administrative body or other similar controlling body); meets the financial stability requirement (see below for further details); has financial statements certified by an auditor; has transparent and non-hazardous origin of the sources; and has a transparent ownership structure that shows who is/are the beneficial owner(s). ## Initial licence - List of documents & type of information needed to support application An Initial licence application shall be submitted to the Ministry and shall be accompanied by the following documents: a)a list of persons who: 1. are members of the applicant’s statutory body 2. are members of the applicant’s supervisory body 3. have general power of attorney issued by the applicant 4. are the real/beneficial owners of the applicant (collectively “Relevant Persons”) (b) the identification data of the applicant and all Relevant Persons, indicating all their countries of origin; (c) evidence of the clean record and no debts of the applicant and all Relevant Persons, in the Czech Republic; (d) evidence of the clean record and no debts or affidavits confirming the same of the applicant and all Relevant Persons from their countries of origin outside the Czech Republic; (e) audited financial statements; and (f) documents demonstrating compliance with the following conditions: General Eligibility conditions. Provision of Surety, and No Liquidation or Bankruptcy). ## Basic licence - Applicant Considerations The Ministry shall issue a Basic licence if the following conditions are satisfied: (a) the operator has the Initial licence; (b) the gambling operations will not disturb the public order; (c) the proper operation of the gambling activity is guaranteed and proper technical equipment is secured; (d) the operator has the material, personnel and organizational resources necessary for the performance of its operations (“Material, Personnel and Organizational Resources”); and (e) the Basic licence for the type of gambling in question has not been revoked by the Ministry in the 3 years preceding the date of the application. ## Basic licence - List of documents & type of information needed to support application A Basic licence application shall be submitted to the Ministry and shall be accompanied by the following documents: Game Plan; Expert Assessment document and the Certificate of Operability issued by one of the authorized testing labs; Document certifying the location of its Server in one of the EU or EEA countries; Document demonstrating compliance with the Material, Personnel and Organizational Resources requirement; and Contract concluded with the person who will monitor influencing of sports results – only required in case of application to operate odds betting or a totalizator game. ## Geographical cover Territory of the Czech Republic. ## Mechanics of the licence process There is no limit in the number of licences which can be issued. No time window during which an application must be made. Online operators do not need to hold land-based licence. ## Bad Actor/Cooling off periods There are no such periods applicable. However, if there are any penalties issued to an applicant for operating without a licence and such penalties are not paid, or if the applicant is included on the blacklist, the licence will not be granted by the Ministry. ## Localisation Offer must be in Czech language. As an option it can be in other languages as well. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Market entry in practice ## Regulated The main law that regulates gambling in the Czech Republic is Act No. 186/2016 Coll., on Gambling (“Gambling Act”). It completely overhauled the gambling regulatory environment in the Czech Republic by allowing most game types to be operated online and opening the Czech market to opera… Full analysis · 258 words ## Regulated The main law that regulates gambling in the Czech Republic is Act No. 186/2016 Coll., on Gambling (“Gambling Act”). It completely overhauled the gambling regulatory environment in the Czech Republic by allowing most game types to be operated online and opening the Czech market to operators from other EUR/EEA member states. The Gambling Act defines “gambling” as a game of chance, betting, or a lottery in which a participant wagers a bet, while no return on such bet is guaranteed, and the win or loss is entirely or partly subject to chance or unknown circumstance. It specifically regulates and recognises only the following types of gambling: ## Lottery Odds betting Totalisator game ## Bingo Technical game Live game ## Raffle Small size tournament Each of the above gambling types may be operated in land-based as well as in online form. The two exceptions are Raffle and a Small size tournament, which may only be operated in land-based form. ## Market Size Combined GGR of legal gambling operators in the Czech Republic in 2022 was CZK 53.8 billion (app. EUR 2.2 billion). The highest share of GGR (31% of total GGR) derived from land-based ‘technical games’ (i.e. slot machines) followed by online ‘technical games’ (i.e. slot machines) (24.4% of total GGR), online betting (20.5% of total GGR) and land-based lottery (12.7% of total revenues). Challenges: Difficult market entry High “own equity” requirement and surety/bank guarantee required Onerous reporting requirements High gambling taxes (two tax rates apply – 30% and 35% depending on the type of games offered) ### Czech Republic Gambling — Licence fees The administrative application fee is modest (CZK 5,000 per application), but the binding capital barrier is the mandatory security deposit lodged into a special Ministry account: CZK 30,000,000 for betting and CZK 50,000,000 for casino, per game type, with proof of legitimate origin required. This … Full analysis · 51 words The administrative application fee is modest (CZK 5,000 per application), but the binding capital barrier is the mandatory security deposit lodged into a special Ministry account: CZK 30,000,000 for betting and CZK 50,000,000 for casino, per game type, with proof of legitimate origin required. This makes capitalisation the principal cost-of-entry driver. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Tax ## Application fees The basic licence application fee is CZK 5,000. For each type of gambling, a separate basic licence is needed. Therefore, if for example, an operator wants to offer an odds betting, a technical game, and a live game, it will be required to apply for three separate basic licences… Full analysis · 757 words ## Application fees The basic licence application fee is CZK 5,000. For each type of gambling, a separate basic licence is needed. Therefore, if for example, an operator wants to offer an odds betting, a technical game, and a live game, it will be required to apply for three separate basic licences and pay the licence application fee three times. ## Ongoing fees There are no ongoing fees for maintaining a licence. ## Any required minimum guarantee The applicant for an Initial licence will have to provide a surety. The Surety can be provided by depositing funds into a special account of the Ministry or by a bank guarantee accepted by the Ministry. The deposit can also be provided by a combination of both methods. The amount of surety will be determined based on the operator’s last known gambling tax. Depending on the amount of such gambling tax, the operator will be included in one of four surety groups. A new applicant for the Initial licence will fall within surety group nr. 1 and will have to provide a surety in the amount of CZK 20,000,000. The Surety groups and Surety amounts are as follows: Surety group 1 (for operators whose last known gambling tax was less than CZK 5,000,000) – Surety amount is CZK 20,000,000; Surety group 2 (for operators whose last known gambling tax was at least CZK 5,000,000 but less than CZK 50,000,000) - Surety amount is CZK 70,000,000; Surety group 3 (for operators whose last known gambling tax was at least CZK 50,000,000 but less than CZK 200,000,000) - Surety amount is CZK 150,000,000; Surety group 4 (for operators whose last known gambling tax was at least CZK 200,000,000) - Surety amount is CZK 300,000,000. A bank guarantee must be governed by Czech law. It can be provided by: 1. a bank based in the Czech Republic; 2. a savings and credit cooperative based in the Czech Republic); 3. a bank based in another EU or EEA Member State, or 4. bank based outside the EU or EEA, if it carries out activities on the territory of an EU or EEA Member State, through its branch. ## Capitalisation requirement The applicant for Initial licence needs to satisfy a financial stability Condition. It is satisfied by an entity whose: (a) own capital, less any outstanding part of the issuance price and any outstanding premiums outside the share capital: 1. is at least CZK 50 000 000; and 2. exceeds the amount of debts, if the result for the regular financial year and the result for previous years is negative, and (b) assets less the Surety, long-term receivables and long-term financial assets are at least CZK 50 000 000. In assessing compliance with the financial stability requirement, the amount in foreign currency stated in the financial statements shall be converted into CZK at the rate announced by the Czech National Bank for the date of preparation of the financial statements. ## TAXES ## Licence Taxes Under Act No. 187/2016 Coll., on Gambling Tax (“Gambling Tax Act”), gambling operators are subject to a special gambling tax. The gambling tax is based on gross gaming revenues (GGR) calculated as the difference between the amount wagered (and not returned to the players) and the winnings paid out to the players. Gambling tax returns have to be filed and the gambling tax paid quarterly no later than 25 days after the last day of each calendar quarter. Rates: Betting, Poker & Bingo – 30% GGR Casino - The gambling tax rate for a technical game is 35%. The gambling tax rate for a live game is 30%. A minimum tax in the amount of CZK 13,400 per each slot machine per calendar quarter applies to land-based technical games even if the actual tax based on 35% of GGR is lower. Lottery – 35%GGR ## Sales Taxes No VAT applies to supply of gambling services. ## Corporate Taxes If a gambling operator is subject to corporate income tax in the Czech Republic, then also such tax must be paid. The corporate income tax rate is 21% of the company’s profits. ## Taxes imposed on customers Based on Act No. 586/1992 Coll., on Income Tax, each player winning in lottery and raffle over CZK 50,000 is subject to 15% income tax. Winnings from each of the other types of gambling are subject to income tax of 15% on an annual basis if the difference between the total winnings and the bets or wagers placed in the relevant year exceed CZK 50,000. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Payments and banking ## Safer Gambling Protections A person cannot complete registration with an operator and open a player account without individually setting or rejecting self-restrictive measures listed in the Gambling Act. A person included in the Register of excluded persons, maintained by the Ministry, cannot b… Full analysis · 222 words ## Safer Gambling Protections A person cannot complete registration with an operator and open a player account without individually setting or rejecting self-restrictive measures listed in the Gambling Act. A person included in the Register of excluded persons, maintained by the Ministry, cannot be permitted to participate in a gambling game. ## Payments Payments can be made to and from payment accounts, payment cards or other payment methods held at/issued by a person who is authorised to provide payment services in a European Member state or EEA member state. Payment flows tied to unlicensed operators face direct legal exposure. Under Section 82 of the Gambling Act, the payment accounts of operators added to the Blacklist of unauthorized internet games, including Polymarket following its 13 July 2026 addition, are themselves listed, and payment service providers are barred from executing credit or debit transactions to those accounts, extending accessory-liability exposure into the payment chain. Separately, and based on a single report, Sweden's April 2026 restriction on credit-card and loan-based gambling funding is reported to be prompting stricter geoblocking and payment-verification practice among operators that also target Czech players, a cross-border spillover in operator tooling rather than a Czech-domestic legal change. This spillover illustrates how payment-flow risk for Czech-facing operators is shaped as much by adjacent EU jurisdictions' funding restrictions as by domestic Blacklist mechanics. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Marketing Promotion and advertising of gambling are regulated by Act No. 40/1995 Coll. on the regulation of advertising (“Act on Advertising”). The Act on Advertising states that it is prohibited to advertise a gambling game operated without a basic licence issued by the Ministry. The Act on Advertising also … Full analysis · 130 words Promotion and advertising of gambling are regulated by Act No. 40/1995 Coll. on the regulation of advertising (“Act on Advertising”). The Act on Advertising states that it is prohibited to advertise a gambling game operated without a basic licence issued by the Ministry. The Act on Advertising also states that advertising of a licensed gambling game: Must not give the impression that participation in gambling can serve as a source of income similar to income from other activities Must not target minors (under 18) and must include a statement that participation of minors is prohibited Must include a visible and clear warning text as follows: “Ministry of Finance cautions: Participation in gambling may lead to addiction!” It is prohibited to advertise gambling games which are not licensed by the Ministry. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Technical compliance Technical compliance requirements for Czech-licensed operators tighten this cycle through the first major 2026 licence-renewal window, which applies revised technical certification conditions introduced by the 2024-2025 Gambling Act amendments to every renewal and new application processed through t… Full analysis · 121 words Technical compliance requirements for Czech-licensed operators tighten this cycle through the first major 2026 licence-renewal window, which applies revised technical certification conditions introduced by the 2024-2025 Gambling Act amendments to every renewal and new application processed through the year. The enabling amendment is durable, but the implementing technical-certification detail that renewing operators must satisfy is comparatively fragile and subject to administrative refinement, meaning the specific certification standard can move within the cycle even though the statutory permission to operate does not. For the twenty-seven currently licensed entities, twenty-four Czech and three foreign, this represents a materially higher technical bar to clear at renewal than in prior cycles, applied uniformly across the licensed population under the Ministry of Finance's rolling licensing process. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Distribution and platforms ## Infrastructure The operator must be a corporation with registered office in the Czech Republic; in another EU Member State; or in a state that is a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. The operator needs to have a Server located in any EU Member State or in a state that is a pa… Full analysis · 263 words ## Infrastructure The operator must be a corporation with registered office in the Czech Republic; in another EU Member State; or in a state that is a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. The operator needs to have a Server located in any EU Member State or in a state that is a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. ## Integrations The operator will be required to access a register of excluded persons maintained by the Ministry to check whether the player/applicant for registration is not excluded from participation in gambling and a national ID database to check whether the player/applicant for registration is a resident in the Czech Republic and is not a minor. Such access will be procured by the Ministry on a non-stop basis. ## Software certification The operator will have to ensure a proper operation of the gambling is guaranteed and appropriate technical equipment ensured. The gambling software technical requirements are set out in the Ministry’s Decree nr. 208/2017 Coll., which establishes the scope of technical parameters for devices through which games of chance are operated and requirements for the protection and preservation of gaming and financial data and their technical parameters. Gambling games (except for land-based live games, raffles and small-size tournaments) and equipment used for the operation of such games by the B2C operators are subject to authorisation/certification by accredited testing bodies. As part of the basic licence application, the B2C operators must present an Expert Assessment document and a Certificate of Operability issued by one of the accredited testing bodies ### Czech Republic Gambling — Enforcement ## Regulating bodies Ministry of Finance, General Directorate of Customs, Customs Office, Municipalities and for AML also the Financial Analytical Office. ## Supervision by Regulator Supervision is conducted via ongoing monitoring by the regulators and third party complains addressed to the regul… Full analysis · 477 words ## Regulating bodies Ministry of Finance, General Directorate of Customs, Customs Office, Municipalities and for AML also the Financial Analytical Office. ## Supervision by Regulator Supervision is conducted via ongoing monitoring by the regulators and third party complains addressed to the regulator usually by players or operators. There is also a rigorous reporting regime in place established by Ministry’s Decree nr. 10/2019 Coll., on the method for gambling operators to notify and transmit information and transfer data, the scope of the data transfer and other technical parameters of data transfer. Through such reporting the regulators have ongoing access to the relevant data about the operations of licence holders. ## Enforcement against licensed operators Enforcement action can be of administrative or criminal nature. Administrative actions can be taken by authorities under the Gambling Act as well as various other acts. In this chapter we only address actions and sanctions which can be imposed by authorities under the Gambling Act, They are as follows: Revocation of a licence Administrative fines up to CZK 50,000,000 Injunction on the operation of the administrative offender ## Typical triggers for enforcement against unlicensed operators Either monitoring by the regulators or third-party complaints addressed to the regulator usually by one of the licensed operators. ## Enforcement action taken against unlicensed operators Blocking of unauthorised online games - Internet connection providers on the territory of the Czech Republic are obliged to prevent access to any of the webpages and applications included in the list of the webpages with unauthorised online games (“Blacklist”). The Blacklist is maintained and entries in it decided on and made by the Ministry. It is available on the Ministry’s website and contains addresses of webpages offering (or facilitating offering) unlicensed online games and where available also details of payment accounts used for the purposes of operating unlicensed online games. The internet connection providers are obliged to prevent access to a webpage included in the List within 15 days from the publication date of the webpage on the Blacklist Blocking of payments related to unauthorised online games - payment service providers are forbidden to execute payment transactions, whether credited or debited, to the payment accounts included on the Blacklist. They are obliged to comply with this prohibition within 15 days from the publication date of the payment account details on the Blacklist. The criminal sanctions can be imposed for an illegal organisation, promotion or mediation of gambling under Act No. 40/2009 Coll., Criminal Code (“Criminal Code”) and Act. No. 418/2011 Coll., on Criminal Liability of Legal Persons (“Act on CLLP”). The criminal sanctions under the Criminal Code are imprisonment (of up to ten years depending on the severity of breach) and ban on operations. The criminal sanctions under the Act on CLLP are various and include, among others, dissolution of a legal entity, forfeiture of property, a fine and ban on activity 18 Oct 2026 Read update The Ministry of Finance added Kalshi.com to the List of Unauthorised Internet Games on 30 September 2026, with the ISP-blocking obligation under Sections 84d and 84e of Act No. 186/2016 Coll. taking effect on 15 October 2026. This follows the same statutory treatment applied to Polymarket in July 2026, establishing a repeated enforcement pattern against US-domiciled prediction-market platforms. The enabling Act is the instrument behind the power; the blacklist listing itself is an administrative application of that power rather than a new rule. The consistent application of this mechanism to a second platform within a single year signals a settled enforcement theory rather than an isolated action, creating accessory-liability exposure for Czech-facing payment processors or affiliate intermediaries servicing such platforms once listed. No criminal referral has been evidenced in connection with either listing; the mechanism as evidenced is administrative blocking under the unauthorised-games catalogue. 11 Oct 2026 Read update The Ministry of Finance added Kalshi.com to the List of Unauthorized Internet Games on 30 September 2026, with ISPs required to block the site within fifteen days of the prohibition order's publication, setting a block date of 15 October 2026. This follows the Ministry's identical action against Polymarket on 13 July 2026, with blocking effective from late July 2026. The two actions, roughly ten weeks apart against comparable outcome-based wagering platforms, establish a settled enforcement pattern applying the Gambling Act's blocking-register mechanism to prediction markets on a substance-over-form basis: as one commentator on the Kalshi action put it, what matters should not be the name of the product but its actual substance. The enabling statute behind this power is the Gambling Act (186/2016 Coll.) itself; a primary Ministry notice confirming the specifics of the order was not directly retrieved, so the facts rest on trade-press reporting of the Ministry's action rather than the Ministry's own published notice. The revocation and exclusion risk this pattern evidences is concentrated in the prediction-market and event-contract product class: any platform of this kind entering the Czech market should expect the same classification and blocking treatment already applied twice. ### Czech Republic Gambling — Outlook Various changes to the regulation of advertising of the gambling games are being discussed, which might substantially impact advertising in the media Pure games of skill are not expected to be absorbed into gambling regulation in the near future. 4 Oct 2026 Read update The Ministry of Finance notified the EU TRIS system, under notification 24129, of a proposal to split the gambling permit-issuance process into two phases and to simplify deposit management. This is a primary-source procedural filing at the drafting stage: it precedes any amendment to the Gambling Act (Act No. 186/2016 Coll.) itself, and no such amendment has been officially announced for 2026. The reform is administrative in character, aimed at streamlining how the basic permit and initial permit interact and how deposits are handled during the application process, rather than at expanding or restricting the activity classes or licence types the Act already permits. Because the notification sits at drafting stage, its adoption timeline and final shape remain open. The reform track is nonetheless active and primary-sourced, which distinguishes it from a mere rumour of change: the Ministry has taken a formal EU-notification step, giving the reform horizon a concrete near-term item to track even though the statutory baseline itself remains stable this cycle. Evidential record & source register 2 enforcement · 26 red flags · 13 sources · Expand full record ## Enforcement record What the regulator has actually done, newest first. 2 recorded events. - 25 Feb 2025Finanční Správa · Licensed gambling operators (2021-2022 audit)ConfirmedSource 2 · T2 - 1 Jan 2018Ministry of Finance · 39 unlicensed companies (blocking proceedings)ProbableSource 8 · T3 ## What gets operators fined 26 red flags (12 high, 12 medium, 2 low) and 6 controls that address them. - highModelling on 23% GGR (stale spec figure)Most products now taxed at 30% GGR, casino/technical/lottery at 35% — materially higher effective burden.Source 6 · T3 - highUnderestimating security depositCZK 30-50m deposit per game type required up front with proof of origin.Source 12 · T3 - highOperating a game outside the closed catalogueAny game meeting the gambling definition but not a listed type is prohibited.Source 8 · T3 - highOffshore-facing supply to CZ players2024 definition covers any game accessible in CZ territory; site/app/payment blocking applies.Source 9 · T3 - highRelying on PSPs serving blacklisted sitesPSPs must refuse transactions to blacklisted unlicensed gambling sites.Source 9 · T3 - highFailing to check self-exclusion registerMandatory checking against Rejstřík vyloučených osob; allowing excluded players is a breach.Source 8 · T3 - highUncertified games at launchAccredited lab certification of software/equipment is mandatory pre-launch.Source 13 · T3 - highTax misreportingFinanční Správa recovered CZK 540m in a 2021-2022 audit using data analytics.Source 2 · T2 - highNo registered EU/EEA seatRegistered seat in CZ/EU/EEA is an eligibility precondition.Source 7 · T3 - highTreating operator as outside AML scopeGambling operators are obliged persons under Act 253/2008 Coll.Source 7 · T3 - highAnonymous playPlayer registration is mandatory across online play; no anonymous gambling.Source 6 · T3 - highMultiple game types compounding depositsDeposit is per game type, multiplying capital needs for multi-vertical offerings.Source 12 · T3 - mediumAssuming licence is guaranteed on meeting criteriaGrant is discretionary; no legal claim to issuance.Source 12 · T3 - mediumApp distribution without monitoring blacklistBlacklisted apps must be blocked; interface operators carry monitoring duties.Source 3 · T2 - mediumAdvertising without mandatory health warning/18+ disclaimerStatutory warning and age disclaimer are mandatory; breaches sanctionable.Source 6 · T3 - mediumTargeting minors or income-source messagingProhibited under Act 40/1995 and Gambling Act.Source 6 · T3 - mediumNo panic-button / self-restriction tooling2024 amendment mandates panic-button (48h) and self-limiting measures.Source 3 · T2 - mediumIgnoring server localisationServer localisation within CZ reported as a requirement.Source 9 · T3 - mediumMis-timing quarterly gambling-tax filingReturns due within 25 days of quarter end; Financial Administration audits aggressively.Source 6 · T3 - mediumAssuming B2B licence existsNo standalone B2B agrément; suppliers enter via certified supply to a licensed operator.Source 4 · T3 - mediumIgnoring tightening trajectoryTax rose, winnings exemption fell, advertising tightening in consultation.Source 6 · T3 - mediumUnderestimating incumbent concentrationTop five operators hold ~80% of GGR.Source 11 · T3 - mediumCrypto/skin betting as fundingVirtual-currency gambling status undetermined; risk of non-compliance.Source 8 · T3 - mediumAncillary service provision to unlicensed operatorsWeb-hosting and other service providers enabling illegal gambling may be blacklisted.Source 8 · T3 - lowLand-based exterior promotionExterior/visible-interior gambling promotion at premises is banned.Source 6 · T3 - lowDocuments older than 3 monthsApplication documents must not be older than 3 months and must be originals/certified copies.Source 12 · T3 ### Controls - 001Closed-catalogue product mappingConfirm each product maps to a listed gambling type before launch to avoid prohibition.Source 8 · T3 - 002Deposit lodgement and origin-of-funds fileLodge CZK 30-50m per game type with documented legitimate origin.Source 12 · T3 - 003Self-exclusion register integrationReal-time checking against Rejstřík vyloučených osob at registration and play.Source 8 · T3 - 004Quarterly GGR tax reconciliationCompute and file gambling tax at correct 30%/35% rate within 25 days of quarter end.Source 6 · T3 - 005Blacklist monitoring for app/site distributionMonitor published blacklist and ensure blocked apps/sites are not served.Source 3 · T2 - 006Pre-launch lab certification gateObtain accredited-lab certification of games/equipment before go-live.Source 13 · T3 ## Worked scenarios 5 entry scenarios, each with the move we would make. #### EU operator seeks online casino + betting licences. Needs initial licence plus two basic licences; CZK 50m casino + CZK 30m betting deposits; lab certification; server localisation; EU seat suffices. Do this: Budget ~CZK 80m deposits, sequence certification first. Source 4 · T3 Source 12 · T3 #### Software supplier wants to enter CZ. No standalone B2B licence; vendor supplies certified games to a licensed operator. Do this: Partner with a locally-licensed operator; certify games via accredited lab. Source 4 · T3 #### Operator models P&L on 23% GGR. Stale rate; actual is 30% (betting/live) or 35% (casino/technical). Materially understates tax. Do this: Re-model on current statutory rates. Source 6 · T3 #### Offshore site serves CZ players unlicensed. 2024 definition captures any game accessible in CZ; subject to site/app/payment blocking. Do this: Obtain CZ licence or geo-block CZ. Source 9 · T3 #### Operator launches without self-exclusion checks. Allowing excluded/registered-out players breaches RG obligations; fines up to CZK 50m. Do this: Integrate register and panic-button before launch. Source 8 · T3 Source 5 · T3 ## What we looked for and could not find Confirmed absence is a finding of its own. These are the questions we searched and could not answer from a citable source, with the searches we ran. Never behind the paywall. Competitive landscape. licensed operator count not published as a clean integer in retrieved sources; concentration (top-5 ~80%) confirmed but exact licensee count requires Ministry of Finance register. - searched: Czech Ministry of Finance licensed gambling operators list - searched: Czech Republic number of online gambling licences 2025 - searched: mfcr.cz seznam provozovatelů hazardních her - checked: mfcr.cz Aml cft regime. numeric AML reporting threshold (CZK/EUR) not retrieved at article level from Act No. 253/2008 Coll. - searched: Act 253/2008 Coll AML reporting threshold gambling - searched: Czech AML obliged person gambling threshold EUR - searched: FAU Czech FIU gambling reporting threshold - checked: fau.gov.cz ## Source register Every source on a four-step tier scale. A claim is never shown at a stronger tier than the source it cites. 13 sources · 1 tier 1 · 2 tier 2 · 10 tier 3 No. Source Tier Verification 1 CZ-ACT-186-2016-EN T1 of 4 Source 1 · Open in drawer → 2 CZ-YOGONET-AUDIT T2 of 4 Source 2 · Open in drawer → 3 CZ-GGA-STREAMLINE T2 of 4 Source 3 · Open in drawer → 4 CZ-ACT-186-2016 T3 of 4 Source 4 · Open in drawer → 5 CZ-ACT-187-2016 T3 of 4 Source 5 · Open in drawer → 6 CZ-ICLG-2026 T3 of 4 Source 6 · Open in drawer → 7 CZ-CMS-CEE T3 of 4 Source 7 · Open in drawer → 8 CZ-LEXOLOGY-INTRO T3 of 4 Source 8 · Open in drawer → 9 CZ-DLAPIPER-2024 T3 of 4 Source 9 · Open in drawer → 10 CZ-SBC-REVISION T3 of 4 Source 10 · Open in drawer → 11 CZ-IGT-MARKET T3 of 4 Source 11 · Open in drawer → 12 CZ-ECOVIS-FEES T3 of 4 Source 12 · Open in drawer → 13 CZ-LEGALPILOT T3 of 4 Source 13 · Open in drawer → ## Related coverage