Best Betting Sites in the Czech Republic for 2024

Is Online Betting Legal in the Czech Republic?

Good news – online betting in the Czech Republic is completely legal. Back on 1 January 2017, revisions were made to the law so that players would be allowed to use offshore European Economic Area (EEA) and European Union (EU) operators.

Specifically, Act No. 186/2016 Coll. replaced Act No. 202/1990 Coll, which covers lotteries, sports betting, bingo, and so on. This legislation was introduced after the European Commission began proceedings against the country because they wanted EU operators to be permitted in the Czech Republic.

Gambling in the Czech Republic is overseen by the Ministry of Finance, municipal authorities, and Customs Administration. Of those, it is the Ministry of Finance who distributes gambling licences. Before a company can legally offer online betting services in the Czech Republic, it must secure a licence. The basic licence itself is relatively cheap at €200, but the company must also provide a security deposit.

How Taxes Affect Czech Betting Sites

In 2017, the courts controversially ruled that ISP-blocking against unlicensed online betting sites in the Czech Republic would be permitted. This is in addition to what many consider to be excessive taxes in the industry; 23% on sports betting gross gaming revenue plus the usual 19% corporate tax rate.

Combine these aspects together, and it’s easy to see why some people aren’t sure whether licensed betting sites in the Czech Republic are the best choice.

But, as is usually the case, these problems are more to do with the sites in question, not the players. When you join any of the best online betting sites in the Czech Republic, they’ll shoulder the tax burden and any fees they incur will not affect you.

The History of Gambling in the Czech Republic

Since the early 1990s, gambling activity in Czech Republic has consistently grown. Slot machines, gaming machines, and casinos are scattered around every corner of the country and betting has been warmly embraced by government. Naturally with the expansion of the internet and advancements in technology, there has been increased participation in online gambling.

However, the approach of the adopted by the Czech government to regulate internet betting was widely criticised, with calls for reform from the bookmakers and the EU.

In the existing climate, all forms of gambling are controlled by the International Relations and Financial Policies arm of the Minister of Finance.

Licensed Sportsbooks in the Czech Republic

There are currently five licenced Czech-based online sportsbooks – Sazka, Synot Tip, Chance, Fortuna, and Tipsport. These firms can offer land-based and internet gambling, but anyone who wants to open an online account must register in person at a shop. Signing up at a land-based bookmaker was introduced to try and curb underage betting and fraud.

Lotteries

In 2012, the Czech government released new gambling regulations to replace the existing Lotteries Act. Under the new laws, foreign operators could legally accept custom from Czech players if they had a physical address within the country.

The new guidelines were met with derision from bookmakers and they were found to contravene EU rules, with the regulators subsequently forced to revise their draft. The new bill was initially meant to be introduced by the summer of 2013, but political complications have resulted in several delays, with bookmakers still waiting upon a release date.

Landmark Case

Whilst online sports betting is legal in the Czech Republic, online casino and poker activities are not. This was challenged in 2013 by the Casino Kartác Group, who won €100 million in damages, after claiming the legislation and rules were unclear and inconsistent, costing the bookmaker significant amounts of money.

The current domestic betting regulations in the Czech Republic seem counter intuitive. The legislation is too weak to prohibit or sanction any foreign operator providing their services to Czech citizens, whilst at the same time being too draconian for domestic firms to flourish.

Indeed, the aforementioned companies are not only subject to a 19% corporation tax, but a further 20% deduction on their winnings. With no realistic way to stop access to betting sites based in tax havens such as Malta and Gibraltar, the domestic firms find themselves in an unsustainable long-term position if things remain as they are.