In Slovakia, A New Gambling Law Has Been Introduced

Even though the new law of slovakia is aimed at the modernization of the rules of gembling and the conclusion of the online industry from the monopoly, which opens the market for foreign operators, yet some unreasonable barriers to market exit remained – this was stated by peter bolhardt, senior lawyer of the law company peterka & partners.

As the main reasons for modernization, an approach is allocated, an overly limiting gambling industry on the internet, who, along with this, caused doubts about compliance with eu legislation. Also, some municipalities limited the activities of slot machines in their territories. The third reason is the intention of the state to simplify the process of regulating and create a new body for this purpose. Previous provisions were insufficient to protect a specific group of players from the influence of gambling and did not provide the right balance between public interate and legitimate business expectations of gembling operators.

All for march 1, 2019 of the new law on gambling (no. 30/2019 coll.). Separate provisions entered into force on june 1, 2019.

Until the current time, online casinos were monopolized by the state operator tipos. Now the new law allows any subject that has a registered place of residence in the eu or in the european economic area, to apply for the state monopoly (state lottery, bingo and lottery games for participants who submitted vat receipts). Also, enterprises of slovakia with foreign capital should have their shareholders whe are in the representatives of ena and oecd.

Minimum requirements for authorized capital depend on the type of game that the license owner will offer. These requirements can reach 1.7 million euros, for example, for ground casinos, online casinos and online rates, for slot machines, video solver terminals. The source of the contribution must be specified in the management of gambling regulation.

It is noted than high licensed fees can be an obsticle to the market for specific operators. For example, 2 million euros are made by companies offering slot machines, video solver terminals and similar devices in the game halls. Also, the applicant for obtaining a license must pay financial support required to ensure that the license owner fullfills its obligations to the regulatory body and clients.

Depending on the type of services offered services, the timing of the license ranges from 2 to 10 years:

• Ground casino – 5 years;
• Rates and online bets, as well as ground and online casino – 5 years with the possibility of extension for the same period;
• Gambling online games and rates – 10 years.

If within 90 to 60 days before the license expires, the operator will apply, then the license will be extended.

Also, the legislation requires that each foreign operator creates its representation in slovakia, which will perform intermediary functions between the regulatory body and the license owner. Doubts makes a requirement that director of the foreign representation is a citizen of slovakia, since it is not fully justified from the position of the legislation. The state enterprise tipos still owns a monopoly on the online lottery while the fact that 100% of its shares belong to the ministry of finance.

The new law requires that the servers of online gambling operators be in slovakia and with this game right to access these servers. They should store detailed information about all games (rates, winnings, duration of the game and t. P.), as well as data on player accounting.

Game halls and casinos must be placed in hotels, motels, trading houses. Also allowed gaming halls in residential buildings, provided than more than not mind this tenants. It is possible to prohibit the accommodation of game halls within 200 meters from schools, institutions for the treatment of gembling-dependent and social service institutions.

Particular attention is concentrated on the fact that the gambling regulator does not have a sepaate budgetor does not have a sepaatry of finance, the director of the ministry of finance, the director of the body is also appointed and responed by the minister of finance. The system of self-combustion of players will also be regulated. Operators must assume obligations to support this program and not alloow to play certain categories of customers. The identity of customers will make a copy of the relevant documents. Canceling the list is possible only six months after registration.

Organizations offering unlicensed gambling will be blacklisted. As a result, in court, it will be ordered to limit the entry of clients to illegal sites. The payment service provider will have to stop the transfer of payments to the operator’s account without a license. With the continuation of the legal entity of illegal gembling activities, a fine of 1 million euros may be imposed. Also responsibility carry all involved in the illegal work of the operator.

Recall the government of australia decided to create a national register of self-slip.