Regulatory Failure
At the 17th European Economic Congress in Katowice, representatives of Poland's gambling industry made a startling admission: regulatory shortcomings have created a thriving black market ecosystem. According to panel discussions organized by the Graj Legalnie association and Totalizator Sportowy, approximately €50 billion has flowed to offshore operators since the 2017 gambling reform, resulting in a €1.3 billion tax revenue shortfall for the national treasury.
Key Statistics
The Ministry of Finance maintains a blacklist containing nearly 50,000 domains linked to illegal casinos, yet blocking measures have proven largely ineffective
Most Polish gamblers remain unaware that only one online casino — Total Casino — operates legally within the country
In 2024, legal gambling generated €14.6 billion in revenue, while the illegal sector produced a comparable €14 billion
H2 Gambling Capital projections suggest licensed operators will capture a mere 4-5% market share over the next five years
Industry Response
"We're not opposed to regulation — we're opposed to regulation that doesn't work," declared Zdzisław Kostrubała, President of the Graj Legalnie association, in a pointed critique of the current framework. Industry experts increasingly view Poland's monopolistic model as antiquated compared to the European trend toward flexible licensing systems that accommodate multiple operators.