Gambling Laws in Hungary

Gambling in Hungary is legal to some extent, meaning that Hungarian gambling laws sustain a tight regulatory framework for land-based establishments and even more so for Hungarian online gambling sites. Modern Hungarian gambling laws were established in 1991. Since then, they have been altered a few times, most recently in 2014. The clarity — or lack of it — in  Hungarian gambling regulations for international operators has been criticized by the operators themselves as well as the Court of Justice for the European Union. The main regulatory legislation is the Act XXXIV of 1991 on Gambling Operations and its amendments, along with the Decree No. 329 of 10 November 2015 on the rules of responsible gambling. 

Szerencsejáték Zrt., a state-owned company, is the supplier of generic forms of gambling such as lottery and sports betting. The market is overseen by the Ministry for National Economy and the National Tax and Customs Administration. The available types of legal gambling in Hungary are for lotteries, sports betting, and casino gaming. 

Online Casinos in Hungary

As of August 2019, there are no online casino sites in Hungary holding a license issued by the country’s Government. One of the main reasons for this is that, according to the law, a  Hungarian online casino license is the exclusive right of the land-based casino operator. However, there are numerous casino sites that accept Hungarian players. 

Online Poker in Hungary

There are no specific Hungarian poker laws, but the game falls under the definition of card games and the general regulations apply. And even though the game is very popular, the Hungarian poker scene has seen a downfall in recent years due to high tax rates, resulting in the withdrawal of many poker rooms. This has also affected online poker sites, which is why players must access unlicensed rooms. 

Online Lottery in Hungary

Szerencsejáték, which was founded in 1991, is the exclusive provider of the lottery in the country, both in its land-based and online forms. But due to limited offer, players usually access international online lotto sites, that offer higher jackpot prizes and better opportunities, such as online lotto bonuses. 

Online Bingo in Hungary 

Bingo is not particularly popular in Hungary. There have been some bingo halls in the past, but, as of August 2019, there is currently no land-based facilities where it is possible to play the game. Furthermore, the strict requirements that operators have to fulfill in order to offer the game have made it harder for the establishment of a bingo scene. For this reason, players usually access international online bingo sites. 

Online Sports Betting in Hungary

The Hungarian sportsbook law states that the game is under a monopoly run by the state-owned company Szerencsejáték. This has been met with many negative reactions from both international bookmakers and the European Union. And as of August 2019, the largest online sportsbook sites operating in the international market still accept Hungarian bettors.

Online DFS in Hungary

Online DFS sites in Hungary are not regulated yet. Although there is a debate worldwide about the status of this type, it is likely the Daily Fantasy Sports will soon become legal, considering the current situation of online gambling in the country.