Online Gambling Laws in Croatia

Giuseppe Faraone
Senior Author
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Croatia is one of the more forward-thinking countries in the EU that has legalized all forms of gambling. However, there is one type of gambling activity that Croats can only access via one national company (i.e. under a monopoly). Learn more about Croatia's gambling laws in our article below.

Gambling regulations in croatia

Gambling Regulation by Casino Type

Croatia's gambling regulation comes from the main legislation, the Gambling Law 2014, Zakon o grama na sreću. The law defines gambling as "players betting on an outcome decided mainly by chance with the hope of gaining money, goods, services or rights."

Gambling activities are split into four groups: lotteries (includes bingo), instant win games (includes casino games), sports betting, and slots and poker machines. Operators wishing to offer these services to Croatia residents must obtain a licence from the Ministry of Finance. Let's see how the law applies to each type of gambling activity, both online and offline.

Casino Games

Land-based casino gaming is legal in Croatia, with operators wishing to offer their services required to obtain a licence from the Ministry of Finance. Around 20 proper casinos operate in Croatia, with another 100 slot halls open nationwide for business.

Croatia's online gambling regulation means online casino gaming is legal in the country. In this case, those interested in serving players from Croatia must currently operate a land-based casino or slot hall in the country to be eligible to apply for an online casino licence. Online casinos Croatia sites offer a mix of online casino slots, table games and live dealer games.

Poker

In Croatia, poker is considered a game of chance, not skill, with operators of poker rooms and tournaments required to obtain a licence. Poker is legal and quite a popular game in Croatia, with various live tournaments running throughout the year at numerous casino venues scattered throughout the country.

Similarly, online poker is also legal in Croatia. Again, operators wishing to offer poker gaming services online to Croats must hold a valid licence, which will only be issued to those currently running a land-based casino venue or slot hall.

Bingo

Bingo is legal in Croatia, but no bingo halls exist. Instead, bingo is classed as a lottery and is under monopoly by the country's national lottery company, Hrvatska lutrija. The company runs TV and online bingo gambling, with the occasional event also running at their casinos or slot halls.

Churches and charities also run bingo events, which are deemed outside the usual gambling regulations due to their non-profit nature.

Lotteries

Croatia's lottery is legal and the monopoly of the country's national lottery company, Hrvatska lutrija. Croatia residents can buy various lottery, keno and bingo tickets and bet on sports at the national lottery's physical shops. No other operator is permitted to sell lottery tickets in the country.

Croats can also legally play online lottery games for real money via the Hrvatska lutrija website, the only site legally permitted to offer lottery tickets in the country. However, many players can still access foreign lottery sites to play lottery games from various other countries.

Social Casinos and Crypto Casinos

Although Bitcoin has been legal in Croatia since 2013, none of the country's casinos accept digital currency, and there are no online Bitcoin casinos either. Those wishing to play casino games in Bitcoin or any other popular cryptocurrency have various options in foreign crypto casinos. The law in Croatia does state that this is illegal, but players tend not to be prosecuted.

Social gambling at free online casinos isn't regulated under Croatia's current gambling laws, and the situation is the same for loot boxes and skins gambling. Fantasy sports betting isn't mentioned in the country's gambling regulations either.

Sportsbet laws

Croatia Sports Betting Laws

Until recently, sports betting in Croatia was the sole domain of the national lottery company, Hrvatska lutrija. Due to gambling regulation changes, larger companies can now offer their sports betting services to Croats under licence, as long as they run a land-based operation. As a result, Croats can access sports betting services via their local Hrvatska lutrija retailer or website or one of the licensed online sportsbooks.

Gambling Age Restriction

The legal gambling age in Croatia is 18. That means only those aged 18 or over are legally permitted to enter a land-based gambling establishment or participate in any online gambling form.

Tax Regulation

Croatia's gambling tax regulation means that online and offline licensed operators are subject to taxes based on their gambling activities. Taxes range from 5% on lottery ticket sales and betting turnover to 25% on slot revenue, with casinos charged 15% on their total revenue.

Players in Croatia are also subject to taxes on their winnings. 10% is due on winnings under €1,300, 15% is charged on winnings between €1,300 and €4,000, winnings between €4,000 and €65,000 incur a 20% tax rate, and winnings above €65,000 are charged 30% tax.

History of Gambling Laws in Croatia

Croatian gambling regulation had its roots in the 1960s when the country declared it would open up its laws to allow for more controlled gambling. However, the country only gained its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, so it was from that point that regulated gambling in the country came into a meaningful effect.

Initial laws regarding gambling in Croatia were somewhat unclear, so the Zakon o grama na sreću gambling law of 2014 was passed to clarify the situation in terms of both offline and online gambling. Since then, Croatia has opened their market to allow foreign operators to offer their services under licence, although operators must have a land-based presence to apply.

Key facts

Key Facts

Croatia's gambling laws are pretty straightforward. Here are the main points to remember about gambling in Croatia:

  • Casino gaming is legal in Croatia: Operators must obtain a licence, with online operators required to have a land-based presence, too. Applicable games include online casino slots, table games, poker and live dealer games.
  • Lottery and bingo gaming are legal in Croatia: Lottery and bingo games are under the monopoly of Hrvatska Lutrija, the country's national lottery.
  • Sports betting is legal in Croatia: Hrvatska Lutrija offers sports betting both offline and online, with a few large sportsbooks also offering sports betting opportunities in the country under licence.
Giuseppe Faraone

Giuseppe Faraone

Author & Online Gambling Expert

1139 Articles
Being so close to the action in iGaming, Giuseppe is on top of any new developments the minute they come through the door, as his book is testament to. Published in October 2022, his first book; The Untold Story of Online Gambling is available on Amazon.
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