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Legal casino gambling age in Croatia

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Gambling legislation in Croatia
Gambling authorities in Croatia
Online casinos in Croatia
and more

Croatia was only recognized as an independent state in 1991, this is one of the main reasons why its gambling laws are still being formed. However, no matter that the industry here is relatively young, gambling has managed to become one of the favorite pastimes of the local citizens.

The accession of Croatia to NATO and the European Union is considered one of the reasons for the increasing interest in gaming and casino operations.

Overview

While Croatia was part of the six constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), it was governed by the latter's gaming laws which put some limits on sports betting including making wagers only at state-held kiosks. In addition, the only market available was “sports forecasting”.

Croatia was also one of the first countries from the Eastern Block where gambling was both legalized and regulated back in the 1960s. After gaining its independence in 1991, the country's gambling industry grew significantly, especially when it comes to the so-called “tourist gambling”. That is the reason why large casinos associated with hotels, located in Croatia, and more specifically in the coastal areas, have been truly flourishing.

In mid-2020, there are 20-plus physical land-based casinos in Croatia.

Sports betting was legalized in the country not long after gaining its independence. Private companies were provided with the opportunity to open their own betting shops on the territory of the country.

The first two private companies that took advantage of the new regime were Prva Sportska Kladionica and Sport Tip, which are currently leaders in the country's bookmaking industry.

Currently, both land-based and online gambling is fully legal in Croatia. Of course, there are some restrictions due to the fact that the country's government has imposed some regulations on the gambling market. Different types of table games, including poker, are allowed in Croatia, but they are permitted to be played in casinos only. Other types of casino gaming options as well as bingo, sports gaming, lottery, and keno games, are also provided. They fall under the control of the state organization Hrvatska Lutrija.

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Until 1991, gambling laws in the country only permitted those who held a government-issued license to operate, which gave the government a monopoly on gambling. That changed in January 2009, with the introduction of the Games of Chance Act, which allowed for casinos to be built and a wide range of sports and games to be wagered on.

Players 18 and older are legally able to gamble in one of Croatia's 20 registered land-based casinos, online, or on state-run lotteries. There is also a multitude of smaller gambling establishments with slot machines, they are often called “electronic casinos,” which are basically a pub with slots and video poker machines. Both types require the same gambling license.

Hrvatska Lutrija is the country's national lottery. To date, the country is a major owner when it comes to its land-based casinos.

The lion's share of the country's gambling revenues is represented by lotteries and bingo and the games are licensed and operated by the government. Operators require a license from the Ministry of Finance.

Before sending the new law for approval to the European Commission, the country's gambling market was regulated by Ordinance on Interactive Online Casino Gaming. The latter came into effect in July 2010.

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Gambling in Croatia is regulated by the 2014 gambling law ‘Zakon o igrama na sreću’, which was approved by the European Commission in November that year. Under the law, gambling constitutes players betting on an outcome that is decided mainly by chance with the hope of gaining money, goods, services, or rights.

The gambling act divides gambling into four categories including lottery games (including bingo), games of chance with instant win (instant lottery, scratchcards, casino games), sports betting, and slot and video poker machines. Each of these is legal and regulated in Croatia.

In accordance with the country's current gambling legislation, online gambling operators who wish to offer their services on the Croatian market must first obtain an online gambling license from the Ministry of Finance. The license comes with a hefty annual fee of HRK 3 000 000 (about US$475,000) and also have enough in reserves (also HRK 3 million) at all times to cover player’s winnings, among other requirements

All of these demands have proven to be quite expensive for a large number of operators, which is why the successful future on the online gambling market in the country is still unknown.

Online Gambling

Online gambling operations are legal in Croatia. Currently, they are regulated by the Ordinance on Interactive Online Casino Gaming, which came into effect in July 2010. However, if the new Croatian Gambling Law passes the ratification from the Parliament, some changes are expected to be implemented.

In accordance with the 2014 law, online gambling operators are required to apply for a special online gambling license, however, they can only obtain one if they also operate a brick-and-mortar casino or an electronic casino.

This is often not feasible due to what many gambling operators deem unreasonably high fees and taxes. However, many online casinos that do not possess a license still accept players from Croatia, due to the fact that the companies are registered in other EU member countries and Croatia is a member state of the EU, therefore they are not blocked despite not having a local online gambling license.

Online gambling is legal for all citizens of the country, who are at least 18 years old. Online gaming operations are offered by both the state-run Hrvatska Lutrija and the local subsidiary of Hattrick, Prva Sportska Kladionica. As mentioned above, they also offer sports betting operations, horse and dog races, lottery, bingo, and keno.