Poland’s Register of Prohibited Gambling Domains: How It Works and How to Get Off It

Since 2017 the Polish Ministry of Finance has maintained a public register of domains used to offer gambling contrary to Polish law. It has grown to tens of thousands of entries and is the primary tool for enforcing the state’s control of online gambling. Here is how it works and what an operator can do if its domain is listed.

Legal basis and criteria

The register was introduced by the 2016 amendment to the Gambling Act. A domain can be entered if it is used to offer games of chance, mutual betting or other gambling to persons in Poland without the required Polish permit. The Minister enters domains on the basis of findings by the customs and tax administration, which monitors the market and gathers evidence of Polish-facing activity, such as Polish-language content, acceptance of zloty payments or targeting of Polish players.

Consequences of listing

Internet service providers in Poland are obliged to block access to listed domains within 48 hours and redirect users to a Ministry information page. Payment service providers must refuse to process payments to entities using the listed domains. In practice, listing cuts off both traffic and money from Poland, and the mirror-domain strategy used by some operators leads simply to further entries.

Objection and removal

An entity whose domain has been entered can lodge an objection with the Minister within two months of the entry, arguing that the domain is not used for unlawful gambling in Poland. The Minister decides by administrative decision, which can be appealed to the administrative courts. Removal is also possible where the domain ceases to be used for unlawful gambling, for example after geo-blocking Polish players and removing Polish-facing content. In practice, successful removal requires evidence, not assurances.

What listing means for third parties

Affiliates promoting listed domains to Polish audiences, advertisers and intermediaries face their own liability under the fiscal-penal code and the Gambling Act’s advertising restrictions. Payment providers that process transactions to listed domains risk penalties. Game suppliers and platform providers integrated with listed brands increasingly face questions from their own regulators.

Practical guidance for operators

Operators without a Polish permit should implement robust geo-blocking of Polish IP addresses, avoid Polish-language content and zloty payments, and monitor the register for their domains. Operators seeking to serve Polish players lawfully have one route: a mutual betting permit from the Minister of Finance.

If your domain has been listed, our disputes and enforcement team can assess the grounds for an objection and manage the removal process.