Part 2: Poland – growth at a price
Part 2
Poland - growth at a price
M
oving on from one country where a
populist government has had a huge
impact on the gambling sector, we
Chart 1: Poland sports betting turnover 2015-17
(PLZbn)
4
come to Poland, where an authoritarian right- 3.5
wing government has also set its sights on 3
reining in gambling. If not totally forgotten, 2.5
Poland remains a marginal market where the
restrictions in terms of product and a 12%
turnover tax mean that interest in the country
from the wider European gaming sector is
somewhat limited.
As of last year, the list of licensees has at least
3.41
2
1.66
1.5
1.29
1
0.5
0
20151
2016
Source: Polish Ministry of Finance
20151
2016
2017
2017
been extended to 14, with TotalBet, Cherry Online,
BEM (Betclic), BetFan, EWinner and Typiko (not
The country’s national lottery operator
to be confused with Tipico) joining long-standing Totalizator Sportowy has already been granted sole
market participants Fortuna, Milenium, Star-Typ rights to operate slots and has plans to open 50
Sport, Totolotek, E-Toto, ForBet and LV Bet on the venues with up to 1,200 machines in the coming
list of licensees. year. Long term, the lottery has said it might
The sports betting market has certainly grown.
The official figures for 2017, released in September
introduce up to 38,000 machines nationwide.
Totalizator Sportowy’s privileged position is
last year, showed that sports betting turnover controversial. Late last year there were complaints
more than doubled from 2016, driven by online, from opposition MPs regarding the lack of
rising to PLZ3.4bn (€785m). visibility around the business and the apparent
lack of returns to the government.
A question of priority
Of course, gaming machines aren’t the only
At present the Polish authorities are more area where Totalizator Sportowy has a monopoly.
concerned with clamping down on illegal slot In online casino it has also been handed the sole
operations than making any further moves licence, but despite signing a deal with Playtech
one way or another with online. In January, the at the start of March to be its exclusive platform
government unveiled a draft law that will impose provider, the lottery didn’t launch the totalcasino.
harsh financial penalties on anyone found to be pl site until December.
operating unlicensed slot machines.
Hopes of any further liberalisation on the casino
Whether Totalizator Sportowy’s online casino monopoly will be
relaxed or not depends to a large extent on its success (or failure)
Piotr Dynowski, Bird & Bird
iGaming Business Market Monitor • February 2019
8