Slovakia’s Gambling Regulator to List Legal Online Casinos on Its Website

Slovakia’s Office for the Regulation of Gambling, which regulates online gambling in the country, has added a new measure that is set to protect resident players against illegal website abuse. Its official website will contain a special section called “legal website” where all of the legal online casinos will be featured. 

Players Will Find It Easy to Determine Whether They Are Legally Protected 

The regulator will frequently update its list, depending on which online operators are legal or become illegal. In doing so, Slovak players will be able to easily determine on which site they will be legally protected and able to play the featured games. 

All websites that offer gambling sites will be required to have the “.sk” extension and will have to publish the license number, types of games, ID and contact details, the game plan in the Slovak language as well as ORG identification data. 

For players to gain access to the casino’s offerings, they must register an account. During registration, they will have to supply the online gambling site with their first and last name, permanent residence or residence permit, DOB or personal identification number, as well as nationality. 

Dávid Lenčéš, the general director at ORG, stated that failing to comply with the rules can result in penalties between €50,000 ($51,000) and €250,000 ($256,000). Lenčéš also noted that in order for players to see whether a certain website is legal, they just need to search for it on the ORG list. 

He added that if the site is not listed in the ORG legal websites section, then it is definitely illegal. While talking about the legal obligations of these sites, Lenčéš stated that they will have to fulfill their obligations according to the Slovak Gambling Act.

Slovakia Plans to Limit Gambling Ads and Protect Its Consumers

In an effort to regulate the gambling industry most effectively, the Office for the Regulation of Gambling launched its Action Plan for Responsible Marketing at the start of June. This plan limits gambling ads in the country across TV and radio, but also in terms of sponsorships and outdoor ads. 

Lenčéš stated that having these limits is “socially desirable” and that is why the regulator has come up with the Action Plan for Responsible Marketing. He also added that having a safe gambling environment is beneficial for both the players and operators and the cooperation could be the foundation for “possible future legislation.” 

According to Lenčéš, the initiative will look into the content of the ads, targeted groups, amount of advertising, etc., and that it will involve a “professional partnership discussion.” This discussion will ultimately help authorities deal with ethics concerning advertising in relation to underage residents and vulnerable groups.