Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
728x90 banner available here

Latest News

Cross Party Committee calls for Betting Tax Reforms

Published

on

 

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.

Latest News

FairPlay joins Mastercard Start Path, shaping the future of AI-driven finance

Published

on

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

Mastercard just announced the latest cohort of Start Path, its award-winning startup engagement program, and FairPlay has been selected as one of the eight companies pioneering the next generation of financial technology.

Why does this matter? AI is playing an increasingly critical role in financial decision-making—determining who gets approved for a loan, what terms they receive, and even how compliance is maintained. But without the right infrastructure, AI models can reinforce old biases instead of driving better, more inclusive outcomes.

“My vision for the future of financial technology is to build fairness infrastructure for financial services, allowing all financial institutions to de-bias their digital decisions in real time,” says Kareem Saleh, CEO of FairPlay.

As part of the Start Path New Networks program, FairPlay will work with Mastercard and its partners to scale solutions that help financial institutions refine their AI models, fix blind spots, and ultimately improve both revenue and outcomes for consumers.

With AI decision-making under increasing regulatory and public scrutiny, this collaboration raises important questions about the future of financial technology that Saleh can speak on:

  • How can AI-driven decisioning improve financial inclusion without increasing risk?
  • What role will open banking play in making AI models more accurate and transparent?
  • How should financial institutions prepare for a future where AI accountability is a market expectation, not just a regulatory requirement?

 

The post FairPlay joins Mastercard Start Path, shaping the future of AI-driven finance appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Official Game Titles for 2025 IESF Season

Published

on

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

The International Esports Federation (IESF) is thrilled to unveil the official game titles for the 2025 IESF Season.

This year’s tournaments will feature five of the most popular Esports titles: Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, eFootball™ series, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG MOBILE. This marks the third consecutive year that IESF has maintained the same lineup, reflecting the consistency and popularity of these titles in the Worls of Esports.

With 136 member federations organizing National Qualifiers, the road to the 2025 IESF Season is set to be bigger and more competitive than ever. Around the world, national tournaments are already underway, as each federation seeks to crown their nation’s champions who will go on to compete at the highest level.

Igor Nedeski, Esports Manager at IESF, said: “We are proud to continue our collaboration with leading game publishers to ensure the highest quality of competition for the 2025 season. The excitement among athletes is already incredible as they prepare to represent their nations on the grand stage. This year, we  anticipate an even higher level of competition as teams and players push the boundaries of Esports.”

The 17th edition of the IESF Season will not only highlight the competitive excellence of esports athletes but also reinforce IESF’s commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and fair play within the Esports ecosystem. Stay tuned as IESF continues to bring together the best esports talent from around the world for an unforgettable tournaments. For more updates, follow IESF’s official channels and witness the journey to the 2025 season unfold!

 

The post Official Game Titles for 2025 IESF Season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Imagine Live Receives ONJN License

Published

on

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

Imagine Live, the live casino provider has been approved by ONJN – the Romanian regulator

Imagine Live is thrilled to announce that it has successfully obtained the Class II license in Romania through its subsidiary ImagineLive Ro for the streaming of Live Casino games.

Martin Martirosyan Imagine Live Group CEO, commented: “Imagine Live is an established brand committed to delivering exceptional products and gaming experiences by putting the player at the centre of the live gaming experience. Imagine Live is equally committed to providing premium and customised live dealer solutions with bespoke tables and studios for our Romanian operator partners to ensure a complete brand experience that players enjoy and return, which drives deeper engagement and revenue opportunities.

The successful regulatory Class II approval from the Romanian ONJN regulatory authority further underpins our company’s growth plans and investments for state-of-the-art live dealer studios and customised live dealer product experiences.”

The post Imagine Live Receives ONJN License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending

EEGaming.org is part of HIPTHER, parent brand of various prominent news outlets and international conferences. These platforms and events span a wide range of industries, including Entertainment, Technology, Gaming and Gambling, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Fintech, Quantum Technology, Legal Cannabis, Health and Lifestyle, VR/AR, eSports, and several others. This indicates that EEGaming.org is part of a larger network that focuses on a diverse array of sectors, particularly those related to cutting-edge technology and modern lifestyle trends.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 HIPTHER. All Rights Reserved. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania

We are constantly showing banners about important news regarding events and product launches. Please turn AdBlock off in order to see these areas.