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Cross Party Committee calls for Betting Tax Reforms

Published

3 years ago

June 30, 2022

Poland’s Ministry of Finance is under pressure from Members of Parliament to review how gambling tax is structured in the country. A cross-party committee has expressed concern over the current legislation and is looking to rekindle the licensed bookmaking sector of the economy. They want to see more income generated but believe the current taxation system is repressing growth in the industry.

The cross-party committee is compiled of members of Sejm. Sejm is the lower house of the national legislature of Poland. The committee represents Polish consumers and entrepreneurship. It has submitted a proposal calling on the Ministry of Finance to “abandon the 12% turnover tax applied to sports betting”.

The committee wants the country to adopt the tax system favoured by most EU member states. The standard system applied across the EU to tax gambling services is based on Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR). Poland’s current system is on total turnover.

The European Betting and Gambling Association are supportive of the move, and in a statement on their website, Martin Haijer, Secretary-General, said, “EGBA welcomes the ongoing discussions on the future of Poland’s online gambling regulation and supports changes to the tax base for online sports betting. The current turnover tax is punitively high and not conducive to a viable online gambling market that meets the needs and expectations of Polish players. Poland is a large gambling market and has a great love for sports, and a sensible GGR-based tax would be an incentive for virtually all Polish players to play with regulated websites and for more of Europe’s betting companies, including EGBA members, to consider applying for an online sports betting license. These companies would not only support Polish sports through sponsorships and other revenues, but also pay gaming taxes and contribute to a more viable market which is attractive to Polish bettors and offers them a safe and regulated environment to play in.”

Between 2011 and 2016, a liberalised online gambling market operated for betting and online casinos in Poland. However, following the election of Andrzej Duda’s PiS (Law and Justice Party) to Government, the sector was radically overhauled. As a result, the Treasury was sanctioned to implement radical reforms to Poland’s gambling codes. This led to the remodelling of the makeup of the market in 2017. The changes included the imposition of a 12% turnover tax across all the gambling verticals in the sports betting market. As a result, the activities of online casino gaming were restricted and the domain of the state monopoly in the sector, Totalizator Sportowy, was limited.

The changes in the legislation post-2017 required all licensed operators to have a physical presence in Poland and for the companies to log databases of their players with the Ministry of Finance. This led to many international operators, including William Hill, Olympic Entertainment Group, Bwin and bet365, ceasing to operate in Poland.

The Sejm Committee regards these reforms as regressive compared to other European nations and has urged the Ministry to reconsider its tax policies. The Polish sportsbook trade association, called the PIGBRiB, has previously lobbied the Government. The Sejm Committee has recommended that the Government implement the recommendation of taxing sportsbook activities on GGR and not turnover. The advice is to introduce a flat 22% rate of taxation on sportsbook GGR.

Members of the Sejm Committee are drawn from across the political spectrum. Poland is one of only six European nations that tax betting based on turnover, not GGR. The committee members believe that the current regime suppresses the potential tax-earning income of the sector. The EGBA has carried out independent calculations that show Poland’s 12% turnover tax is equivalent to around a 65% GGR tax rate. This means that, by comparison, Poland has one of the highest online sports betting taxes in the EU.

There was also a question by the committee as to whether the size of the market could be accurately calculated, given that the current data is based on taxed income and not gross proceeds.

Wladimir P.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

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Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment

Published

48 minutes ago

December 22, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: This is a classic “Cross-Sell” play. Meridianbet has already spent seven years building a sports betting database in Belgium. By securing this B+ license, they can now monetize those same users with higher-margin casino products (slots, table games) without needing to acquire new traffic from scratch. With the Belgian casino sector growing at 20% year-over-year, this is a significant revenue unlock for the GMGI portfolio.

The Full Story

Meridianbet, the sports betting and gaming operator owned by Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully expanded its regulatory footprint in Europe by securing a B+ online gaming license in Belgium.

The new license (B+ 4016) authorizes the company to launch a comprehensive online casino platform—featuring slots, table games, and automated live games—starting in January 2026. This move significantly broadens the operator’s capabilities in the country, complementing its existing sports betting operations which have been active in the Belgian market for seven years.

Targeting the Largest Market Segment The strategic rationale behind the license is clear: Casino is now the dominant force in Belgian gambling. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, the online casino vertical generated €455 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2023, representing a 20.2% year-over-year increase.

By entering this vertical, Meridianbet gains access to the largest and fastest-growing segment of a market that generated a total of €944.6 million last year.

Tech-First Entry Meridianbet plans to deploy its proprietary AI Casino Recommender technology for the Belgian launch. This system analyzes player behavior and preferences in real-time to deliver personalized game suggestions, a crucial differentiator in a highly concentrated market where just ten operators account for 94% of all online wagers.

Regulatory Context Belgium is known for having one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks, characterized by rigorous compliance standards and player protection protocols. Securing this license validates Meridianbet’s operational standards and deepens its foothold in a “mature” market that is notoriously difficult for new entrants to penetrate.

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LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: In the iGaming affiliate space, the five-year mark is a critical survival threshold. Many media startups fade away before reaching it. LinkDataMedia’s decision to rebrand now is a classic “graduation” signal. By shedding their startup skin for a more corporate, “blue-chip” aesthetic (the stability-focused blue triangle), they are telling operators and partners that they are no longer just an affiliate project, but a stable infrastructure partner ready for larger commercial deals.

The Full Story

LinkDataMedia, the parent company behind the popular affiliate portal Gamblers Connect, has announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand to coincide with its fifth anniversary.

The overhaul includes a completely refreshed brand identity, a redesigned logo, and a fully revamped website, all of which are now live. The move is described by the company not as a mere cosmetic update, but as a strategic pivot designed to distance the business from its “startup roots” and reflect its current status as an established player in the competitive iGaming media landscape.

Visualizing Maturity The new visual language features a modernized blue triangular logo, a shape chosen to represent “stability and forward momentum.” The digital user experience has also been streamlined, offering partners a cleaner interface that aligns better with the company’s matured operational capabilities.

Management Commentary Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder and CEO of LinkDataMedia, commented on the significance of hitting the half-decade milestone in such a volatile industry:

“Surviving the first five years in business takes more than luck. It takes belief, resilience, and the right people around you. This milestone, and the rebrand, reflect exactly that.”

Implementation The new branding has already been deployed across the main corporate website and is currently being rolled out across LinkDataMedia’s social media channels and internal communication platforms. As the company enters its sixth year, the refreshed identity aims to set the stage for a new phase of expansion and innovation.

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Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: As ICE makes its historic move to Barcelona, established tech providers like Win Systems are under pressure to bring their “A-game” to the larger venue. The focus here isn’t just on cabinets; it’s the ecosystem. By highlighting WIGOS (their CMS) alongside WIN PAY, Win Systems is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a hardware supplier. The debut of the Gold Club Colors roulette specifically targets the growing demand for visually customizable electronic table games (ETGs).

The Full Story

Win Systems, the global provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, has confirmed its product roadmap for ICE Barcelona 2026, the sector’s most significant international event taking place from January 19 to 21.

Exhibiting at Stand 3M30 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the company will leverage the new venue to showcase a broad portfolio designed to cover the entire casino floor—from management systems to the gaming floor itself.

Systems and Fintech At the core of the showcase is WIGOS, the company’s flagship Casino Management System (CMS). WIGOS is widely recognized for connecting thousands of machines across multiple countries, and the Barcelona display will focus on advanced tools that streamline daily operations and optimize player retention.

Complementing the CMS, Win Systems will present WIN PAY, its secure transaction platform. As cashless and seamless payment solutions become standard requirements for operators, WIN PAY offers the necessary efficiency and security controls for modern gaming environments.

Hardware: Roulette and Slots On the hardware side, Win Systems is refreshing its electronic table game offering with the new Gold Club Colors electronic roulette. The Gold Club line has long been a staple in the company’s portfolio, known for its compact footprint and reliability; the “Colors” iteration promises to maximize visual impact on the floor.

Alongside the roulette, the company will display its latest slot hardware, including the Sublime and Rhapsody cabinets. These units are designed to house the company’s extensive game library, which has been adapted to suit diverse market profiles from Europe to Latin America.

Strategic Goals Win Systems aims to use the three-day event to reinforce its 30-year legacy in the industry. The company described its participation as a commitment to “continuous innovation,” inviting operators and regulators to explore how their integrated solutions can improve in-room performance.

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