People & Lifestyle
Casino or Betting – What Do Poles Choose Now?
Poland has a large population of casino games and sports betting enthusiasts. However, Polish jurisdiction doesn’t define equal rights and restrictions for these two forms of gambling. Polish operators can acquire a license and provide legal sports betting services but online casinos except for a state-owned casino called Total Casino are entirely illegal in the country.
While some Poles prefer to play legally and place bets on sports betting events only, others have found a way to play their favorite casino games despite the restrictions. Most foreign online casinos accept Polish players and allow them to make fast casino online deposits. Now, let’s discuss in detail what Pole players love about online casinos and sports betting and which one they prefer.
The Popularity of Online Casinos in Poland
The statistics say that among European countries Poland has one of the biggest markets for online casinos. Despite such statistics, online gambling stays illegal in the country as Poland has restrictive remote gambling regulations. For example, there is only one legal online casino in Poland called Total Casino where punters can play online poker or bingo.
But the situation has slightly changed since 2016 when the Polish government allowed offshore gambling operators to provide online casino services in the country. As a result, thousands of Pole enthusiasts can now play their favorite games at international foreign online casinos that accept players from Poland. Check out the most common casino games that Poles play:
- Slots are the favorite land-based and online casino games of Polish players. They attract punters with their engaging designs, easy navigation, uncomplicated rules, and the opportunity to play with small and mid-size budgets.
- Poles love playing intellectual games which explains why online poker is so popular in the country. No wonder Poland has world-famous professional poker players such as Dzmitry Urbanovich, Dominik Panka, Bartlomiej Machon, etc.
- Lottery games happen to be the third most popular ones among Pole players. Perhaps the reason is that promotional lotteries are legal in Poland.
- And finally, those that miss the vibe and adrenalin of playing at land-based enjoy live dealer games. Poker is the favorite live dealer game of Poles followed by blackjack.
The Popularity of Online Sports Betting in Poland
Unlike online gambling and casinos, sports betting is a legal business in Poland. After the amendments of the online gambling legislation in 2016, four big Polish companies were granted licenses to accept sports bets online legally. Moreover, besides local operators, foreign online companies can also provide legal sports betting services in Poland as long as they receive a license from the Polish Ministry of Finance.
So, now Polish sports fans can legally access local and foreign sportsbooks and place their bets online. Check out the most popular sports events Poles place bets on.
- Statistics show that soccer is the most popular sport among Polish bettors. They can punt on an extensive variety of sports events like the Bundesliga, the European League, and the Premier League.
- Basketball events also have high demand in the country as they offer a big diversity of betting options. Betting operators accept wagers on the NBA games, the Eurocup, and the Euroleague.
- Poles who love volleyball can place bets on numerous events such as the FIVB World Championship, the European Championship, etc.
- Polish punters also have an extensive choice of other sports such as Formula 1 races, boxing, tennis, cycling, horse racing, eSports, etc.
Besides offering a big diversity of sports events, Polish sportsbooks also provide bonuses and user-friendly payment options such as credit/debit cards, digital wallets, etc.
Conclusion
To sum up, online casinos and sports betting have thousands of enthusiasts in Poland. But choosing one or the other isn’t just a matter of taste. Those that prefer placing sports bets know that this form of online gambling is legal and even if the transactions to/from the sportsbook appear on their credit card history, they won’t be legally prosecuted.
Online casinos, on the other hand, are still illegal in Poland. While many players like to risk and play at foreign casinos, they should be very careful with their choice.