Czech Republic Gambling — Market entry in practice: How hard is entry, really?

## 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)