Responsible Gambling Regulations in Poland: What Every Licensed Operator Must Implement

Since the 2017 reform, every operator of online mutual betting in Poland must adopt responsible-gambling regulations and implement the tools they describe. The regulations are not a marketing document: they are approved as part of the permit, and failing to apply them is a licensing breach. Here is what they must contain and how they work in practice.

The statutory requirement

The Gambling Act requires operators of betting via the internet to adopt regulations on responsible gambling and to implement mechanisms that let players control their activity. The regulations must be submitted with the permit application, and any subsequent changes require notification to the Minister of Finance. The state operator’s online casino is subject to equivalent rules.

Mandatory content

The regulations must set out the operator’s rules on age verification and prevention of participation by minors, the availability and operation of self-limitation tools, the procedure for self-exclusion, the information provided to players about the risks of gambling and the sources of help, and the way the operator handles players who show signs of problem gambling. They must also describe the warnings displayed on the site.

Self-limitation tools

Operators must give players the ability to set limits on deposits, stakes and time spent playing, and to exclude themselves from play for a defined period or indefinitely. Limits must be easy to set and harder to loosen: increases typically take effect only after a delay, while decreases apply immediately. The platform must record and enforce limits reliably, and the regulator checks this during inspections.

Warnings and information

The site must display a clearly visible warning about the risks associated with gambling and the prohibition of participation by minors, in the form prescribed by regulation. Operators must also publish information about responsible gambling and provide contact details for organisations offering help with problem gambling.

Marketing and responsible gambling

The responsible-gambling regulations interact with advertising rules: promotional communications must not undermine the tools the operator offers, must not be directed at self-excluded players and must carry the required warnings. Regulators in Poland and across Europe increasingly examine whether marketing practice contradicts responsible-gambling policy.

Enforcement

The customs and tax administration inspects operators’ implementation of their regulations, and shortcomings can lead to administrative penalties and, in serious cases, proceedings concerning the permit. Operators should be able to demonstrate not only that the tools exist but that they are used, monitored and acted upon.

Building a compliant framework

The most effective approach treats the regulations as an operating manual: assign ownership, train staff, log interventions and review the framework regularly. This both satisfies the regulator and protects the business.

Our compliance team drafts responsible-gambling regulations and implementation frameworks for Polish permit applications.