Poland Moves to Criminalize Promotion of Illegal Gambling
Poland is preparing to introduce tougher penalties for the promotion of illegal gambling, with influencers, streamers, and affiliates potentially facing criminal charges.
On 11 June, Poland’s lower house of parliament approved a bill that would make the online promotion of unlicensed gambling operators a criminal offence. The proposal is part of a wider effort to tackle harmful online content and protect young people.
If the bill becomes law, individuals who profit from promoting illegal gambling could face prosecution rather than administrative fines. In some cases, offences involving content shown to minors could carry prison sentences of between three months and five years. Lawmaker Monika Rosa said:
We are proposing this change to create a comprehensive system for punishing people who profit from showing young people this kind of pathological content online.
The legislation was approved by a large majority in parliament and will now move to the Senate before being sent to President Andrzej Duda for final approval.
The proposed rules are aimed primarily at so-called “patostreaming”, a term used in Poland to describe online broadcasts featuring harmful or abusive content. However, lawmakers also included provisions covering the promotion of illegal gambling.
The changes could have a major impact on affiliates and content creators targeting Polish players. Under the current system, illegal gambling promotion is generally treated as a regulatory issue. The new law would significantly increase the legal risks for those working with unlicensed operators.
Poland continues to maintain a strict online gambling market. Online casino gaming remains a state monopoly operated by Totalizator Sportowy, while many international casino brands remain unlicensed in the country.
