Hungary

Learn more about gambling laws in Hungary!

Gambling in all its forms is legal in Hungary however it is restricted and regulated.  The Gambling Act was passed in 1991and it allows the state to have a monopoly of all gambling in the country.  Changes to the law made it possible for private investment in the gambling industry mostly through casinos. 

Szerencsejáték Zrt. is the biggest gambling operator in Hungary and it is owned by the state.  This provider has rights to all of the lotteries and most of the drawing games in Hungary.  Szerencsejáték Zrt. also owns 2 casinos and has invested in another casino. 

Many restrictions on live poker games were eliminated in 2010 but all slot machines that were not in licensed casinos were banned in 2012.  In 2013, legislation passed that opened the Hungarian gambling market to sports betting.  In addition, this legislation awarded 11 casino licenses and split casinos into two different categories. 

In 1998, Szerencsejáték Zrt. created online gaming products and in 2002 Hungarians could also place bets through SMS.  In addition, sports bets, instant win games and lottery tickets can be purchased online.  In 2013, changes in legislation were enacted in June and July and these opened the online gaming market in Hungary. 

However, the licensing fees in Hungary are extremely high which has largely prevented online casinos from entering the Hungarian market.  Citizens of Hungary can still play online casino games at foreign online casinos but most online casinos do not have Hungarian as a language option.  The online gambling licensing laws block unlicensed ISPs which limits the number of foreign casinos that residents have access to.  The EU does not approve of Hungary’s online gaming laws and they may be subject to change in the future.