Czech Republic

Overview of the target audience

The Czech Republic shows a high interest in gambling on the part of the population, including online gambling.

It's not just online casinos that are popular. Participation in lotteries over the past 12 months was reported by 17.3%. Most often respondents bet on odds in land-based bookmaker offices.

The highest prevalence of gambling was observed in the 25-34 age category. The lower the age, the lower the interest.

Key Figures:

• 44-56% of the population over the age of 15 gambled last year;
• 16-25% adults gambling other than lotteries;
• 17-18% were gambling online;
• 12% made online betting odds.

The prevalence of addiction is several times higher among men and young people aged 15-34. Men are the main audience for gambling in the Czech Republic.

2.5% of adults are at risk of gambling addiction - that's about 140,000-250,000 people. 1.3% of the population, according to doctors' estimates, suffers from gambling addiction - this is about 113,000 people.

The prevalence of gambling declined slightly in 2020-2021, but returned to 2019 levels in 2022, and much higher in the case of online gambling.

The problem of spreading gambling among minors

In 2022, among students aged 11 to 19, 15% respondents reported gambling in the past 12 months. 5% gambled repeatedly, i.e. several times a year, and 2% gambled regularly, i.e. almost every week/daily.

Gaming addiction and its growth among the population is a major problem that the government is highlighting and tightening the restriction measures.

Peculiarities of regulation

Licensing. To organize gambling activities, operators are required to obtain a basic license from the Ministry of Finance. The permit is obtained separately for each specific type of gambling. The opening of a physical gambling establishment additionally requires a license from the municipality.

To obtain a license, an operator must register in the Czech Republic, another EU country or an EEA country. The application fee is CZK 5 thousand. At the same time, the authorized capital of the company must be at least CZK 50 million.

Taxation. The tax rate for the sphere is 30% for most types of games, except lotteries and slot machines - 35%. Taxation of online operators is similar to operators with an office in the Czech Republic.

Advertising Restrictions. Act No. 40/1995 Coll. on Advertising prohibits advertising gambling to persons 18 years of age (minimum age for participation) and advertising on facades and inside buildings.

Recent trends in legislation

At the beginning of 2024, the Czech Republic changed the regulation of gambling.

• Now not only Czechs but also foreigners can take part in gambling in the Czech Republic. This indicates that the government plans to generate more revenue from gambling.
• Tax on winnings has been introduced: if the difference between the amount of winnings and the amount of deposits for the tax period exceeds 50 thousand kronor (≈$2,1 thousand), the player must pay tax on the winnings.
• In addition, operators have been banned from offering risky bonuses to players and land-based operators have been banned from offering bonuses in the form of food, tobacco, drinks, etc.
• Operators were required to provide players with information on time spent playing, amounts won and lost and available self-exclusion measures.

The Czech Republic's legislation is rapidly moving towards a pan-European trend, with an increasing emphasis on responsible gambling. Such changes may attract major players to the market.