Slovakia’s Gambling Regulatory Authority: How the iGaming Industry Is Being Shaped in Central Europe
This article was originally written on October 7, 2024, and reflects information available at that time. As gambling legislation is subject to ongoing change, readers are advised to consult local legal experts for the most current regulatory guidance on online casino operations and iGaming compliance in Slovakia.
Overview: Slovakia’s iGaming Market
Positioned at the heart of Central Europe and sharing borders with several EU member states — including Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland — the Slovak Republic has steadily emerged as one of the region’s most prospective markets for the iGaming industry. Its growing base of digitally active consumers, combined with a structured legal framework, has made Slovakia an increasingly attractive destination for both land-based casino operators and online gambling platforms seeking a licensed foothold in the European Union.
Despite these shared borders and the broader harmonisation efforts within the EU, Slovakia has taken a distinctly independent path when it comes to gambling law. The country has developed its own regulatory ecosystem, one that balances market openness with firm consumer protections — a combination that defines the most competitive and sustainable online casino markets in Europe today.
The Role and Responsibilities of Slovakia’s Gambling Regulatory Authority
At the centre of Slovakia’s regulated gambling environment sits the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA). Established as the primary oversight body for all casino and gaming activities within the country, the GRA carries a broad mandate: to ensure that gambling operations are conducted safely, transparently, and within the boundaries of Slovak law. Its core mission focuses on minimising the social harms associated with gambling, maintaining public order, and creating an environment in which both operators and players can participate with confidence.
Act No. 30/2019 Coll. formally defined the scope of the Authority’s responsibilities. Under this legislation, the GRA was empowered to issue, grant, and revoke individual licenses to casino operators, as well as to administer general licenses for specific categories of gambling activity. This makes the GRA the critical gateway for any operator — domestic or international — looking to enter the Slovak gambling market legally.
Beyond licensing, the Authority plays an active public communication role. When municipalities introduce new restrictions on gambling permits, or when national regulations are updated, the GRA ensures this information is published on its official platform, providing a reliable point of reference for operators, affiliates, and industry professionals monitoring developments in the Slovak iGaming space.
Licensing, Supervision, and Enforcement in the Slovak Casino Market
One of the GRA’s most operationally significant functions is its supervisory reach. The Authority conducts both on-site and remote inspections of gambling operators across Slovakia, encompassing technical audits, gaming equipment checks, and assessments of legal compliance. This dual approach — combining physical presence at casinos and gaming halls with digital monitoring of online platforms — reflects the modern reality of a gambling industry that spans both physical and virtual environments.
The GRA’s enforcement powers are equally robust. When unlicensed or illegal gambling activity is identified, the Authority holds the authority to impose financial penalties, revoke operating licenses, and seize machines and equipment found to be operating outside of legal parameters. Notably, the GRA has taken a particularly firm line on slot machines and gaming terminals found in non-licensed environments. Under Slovak law, such machines are permitted only within licensed gaming rooms and casinos — not in smaller commercial establishments such as restaurants or cafes. Every machine must carry individual approval and licensing from the Authority before it can lawfully operate.
In the first quarter of 2024, the GRA conducted 45% more on-site inspections compared to the same period in the prior year. This increase was driven in part by a focus on venues running unlicensed operations, including businesses operating illegal quiz machines and mining machines — a category of device that has attracted regulatory scrutiny across several European markets. The surge in inspection activity underlines the Authority’s intent to maintain a tightly controlled casino market, where only compliant operators can function.
Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Measures
Player protection is not an afterthought in Slovakia’s regulatory framework — it is a foundational pillar. Among the GRA’s most important responsibilities is the administration of a central register of excluded persons, a database that restricts access to gambling for individuals who are identified as vulnerable or who have self-excluded from gaming activities. This register applies across both physical casino environments and online gambling platforms, ensuring that at-risk individuals cannot easily circumvent restrictions by switching between channels.
The updated legislation introduced under Act No. 30/2019 further strengthened the responsible gambling framework by introducing player-side tools. Operators licensed in Slovakia are now required to offer mechanisms that allow players to set limits on their own gaming activity — a feature that has become a benchmark requirement in regulated iGaming markets across the EU. These tools, combined with mandatory exclusion registers, represent a serious commitment to protecting Slovak consumers from the harms associated with problem gambling.
Strategic Developments: The New Online Gambling Department
Perhaps the most significant structural development within the GRA in recent years was the establishment of a dedicated online gambling department in November 2022. This specialist unit was created in direct response to the rapid growth of the online casino and iGaming sector — a market that was brought further into focus by the regulatory changes introduced in 2019.
The online gambling department is tasked with two core functions: overseeing the activities of operators holding a valid Slovak online casino license, and actively identifying and acting against unlicensed platforms that attempt to offer gambling services to Slovak citizens without legal authorisation. This second function is particularly important in the European context, where countless unregulated or grey-market operators continue to target players across the continent. The GRA’s dedicated online team serves as a first line of defence, ensuring that Slovak players are directed toward safe, licensed casino environments.
Expanding Oversight: Remote Inspections and Digital Compliance
The establishment of the online gambling department has been matched by a dramatic scaling of the GRA’s remote inspection capabilities. In the first quarter of 2023, the Authority recorded close to a 90% increase in digital inspections compared to the same period in 2022 — a remarkable acceleration that speaks to both the growing sophistication of the GRA’s monitoring infrastructure and the expanding scale of online gambling activity requiring oversight.
Remote inspections offer clear operational advantages. They allow the Authority to maintain continuous scrutiny over a far larger number of online casino operators simultaneously, at significantly lower cost than physical site visits. Early identification of potential compliance issues allows for faster intervention, reducing the window in which unlicensed or non-compliant platforms might harm consumers. Together, the surge in both on-site and remote regulatory activity paints a picture of a regulator that is actively modernising its toolkit to match the pace of the iGaming industry.
Key Gambling Law Changes Under Act No. 30/2019
The enactment of Act No. 30/2019 represented a watershed moment for the Slovak gambling landscape, and its implications for the online casino sector were particularly far-reaching. For the first time, the legislation opened the door for foreign operators based within EU member states to apply for a Slovak online gambling license. Prior to this reform, the market had been far more restrictive, limiting the range of platforms available to Slovak players. The change introduced a more competitive environment, encouraging established European casino brands to seek local licensing and expand their offering to Slovak audiences.
Alongside this liberalisation, however, the 2019 Act introduced a series of supply-side restrictions designed to contain problem gambling. These included an increase in the minimum number of slot machines required per gaming hall — a measure intended to concentrate casino gaming activity within properly licensed, supervised venues rather than allowing it to proliferate through small, difficult-to-monitor establishments. The state monopoly was also preserved for specific game categories: numerical lotteries, special bingo, and receipt lotteries remain exclusively under government control, reflecting Slovakia’s cautious approach to certain high-volume gambling products.
The Future of Online Gambling Regulation in Slovakia
Looking ahead, the Gambling Regulatory Authority has signalled a clear strategic direction: continued investment in its digital capabilities and an ever-sharper focus on the online gambling segment. As the iGaming industry continues to evolve — with emerging trends such as live dealer games, crypto casino platforms, and mobile-first gaming reshaping player expectations — the GRA faces the ongoing challenge of keeping its regulatory framework current, proportionate, and effective.
Consumer protection will remain at the core of this agenda. The GRA has made clear its intention to shield Slovak players from the risks posed by illegal online operators, whether based within the EU or further afield. For licensed operators and their affiliates, this translates into a market that, while demanding in terms of compliance, offers the stability and credibility that comes with operating in a fully regulated environment. As more players gravitate toward licensed platforms, the long-term commercial case for obtaining a Slovak online casino license continues to strengthen.
Conclusion
Slovakia may not always feature in the headlines of mainstream iGaming industry commentary, but the country’s regulatory evolution over recent years tells an important story. The Gambling Regulatory Authority has transformed from a traditional licensing body into a proactive, digitally capable regulator — one that is committed to maintaining a transparent, competitive, and socially responsible gambling market. With its expanded online gambling department, rising inspection volumes, and an updated legal framework that welcomes EU operators while protecting consumers, Slovakia represents a compelling case study in how a mid-sized European market can build a credible, forward-looking iGaming regulatory model.
For operators and iGaming professionals considering entry into the Central European market, Slovakia warrants serious attention. Whether you are evaluating license applications, assessing compliance requirements, or simply tracking the evolving regulatory landscape across the EU, staying informed about the GRA’s activities and the latest developments in Slovak gambling law is an essential part of building a well-rounded regional strategy. We encourage you to bookmark this page, share it with your team, and check back regularly as the Slovak iGaming market continues to mature.
