The European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) has formally requested that the Croatian government delay the implementation of its newly passed Gambling Act, citing possible violations of European Union law.
EUROMAT filed an official complaint with the European Commission last Friday, asserting that Croatia’s planned reforms had not been properly submitted through the EU’s Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) as required. The reforms introduce significant changes, including restrictions on gambling advertising and mandatory player identification for entry into gambling venues, which the organization argues should have triggered mandatory EU notification.
Alleged Breach of EU Procedures
In its statement, EUROMAT emphasized that Croatia’s failure to notify the European Commission through TRIS contravenes EU regulations designed to prevent barriers to market access and service provision. Under EU law, member states must submit any measures that could limit these freedoms for review before enforcement.
EUROMAT President Jason Frost criticized the Croatian government’s approach, stating: “The Croatian government should have halted its legislative process and followed the correct procedure.” He added, “Europe’s single market is undermined by member states if they cherry pick legal compliance. Business needs legal certainty and we are hopeful that the Commission will play its role in ensuring that Croatia respects its obligations.”
With Croatia’s updated gambling law scheduled to come into force in just eight days, the European Commission has already contacted Croatian authorities to remind them of their obligations under EU law, according to information from the country’s gambling regulator.
The Croatian government revealed its intentions to strengthen its gambling regulations last month, citing concerns about gambling addiction. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated that the measures aim to tackle the problem more aggressively.
Data referenced by the government indicated that 72.9% of high school students in Croatia had engaged in gambling at least once, and 12.9% were identified as being at high risk for developing gambling problems.
Proposed measures include a strict advertising blackout from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. across television, radio, and internet platforms, along with a ban on influencer and celebrity endorsements. A national self-exclusion registry for players is also part of the reforms.
Industry Response to EUROMAT’s Intervention
In response to EUROMAT’s objections and the European Commission’s involvement, Filip Jelavic, general secretary of the Croatian Gaming Association, stated: “Legal certainty and predictability are essential for market stability and any potential financial consequences arising from procedural shortcomings are ultimately borne by businesses and citizens.”
Jelavic continued, “Therefore, we consider it important for the Croatian government to respect its obligations and allow the European Commission to verify that the adopted text is compatible with EU law and the internal market principles before it applies.”
Another controversial aspect of the reforms involves significant increases to licensing fees and gambling taxes. The planned adjustments would see online operators paying €398,168 in annual fees, a 50% increase. Similarly, land-based casino fees would rise by half to €600,000, while betting shop licences would jump to €200,000 from €132,722.
According to Marko Tomic, partner at the Croatian law firm Siketić & Tomić, the government faces political pressure to strengthen regulations, particularly as international operators grow more active in the Croatian market. Tomic explained to iGB that another goal is to curb the influence of illegal gambling operators.
“The second leg is of course the illegal gambling operators and restricting them as much as possible in the market,” Tomic said. “While, of course, protecting the tax revenues and the revenues of the regulated operators who are paying quite high fees for their licences here. This I think is the main focus.”
Strengthening Controls on Payments to Illegal Sites
The government’s strategy also targets financial institutions and payment service providers to combat illegal gambling. Tomic noted: “The focus is going to be on the payment service providers. The tax authority will aim to basically prohibit any type of suspicious transaction, especially to these illegal providers in Croatia.”
Despite the existing IP blocks on more than 900 gambling websites, authorities are now shifting their focus to regulating payment flows to further limit the illegal market.
Although the legislative changes were intended to take effect by January 2026, the intervention by the European Commission may result in delays.
If Croatia’s updated gambling laws proceed, the country will join a broader European movement toward stricter gambling regulations. Ireland has recently introduced advertising restrictions for gambling between 5:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., and the United Kingdom is updating its rules regarding online slot stakes and marketing regulations for operators.
Source:
‘’Sporna pravila o igrama na sreću: Europski kladioničari ruše hrvatski zakon o kockanju’’, vecernji.hr, April 14, 2025.
