Czech online casinos for Real Money

Almost all forms of gambling in the Czech Republic are legal. Land-based betting has long been legal in the European Union member state, but it was only in 2012 that online casinos were deemed legal, following an amendment to the Law on Lotteries gambling act. This only covered games of skill, not games of chance. A further change in a brand-new Gambling Act (approved by the senate in 2016 and made law in 2017) also legalised games of chance.

To provide games to Czech players, operators must effectively apply for a license from the Czech authorities. However, that’s not the only hoop they’ll have to jump through. They’ll also need to be either a Czech business or have a Czech subsidiary. While the national law says gambling is legal, each city, region and district also has the right to ban both online and land-based gambling entirely. Prague’s second district is one of over 450 Czech municipalities which have done this.

To ensure that you can gamble where you reside, you’ll need to check with your local authority. It may be true that the Czech government has legalised gambling, but if your local municipality has banned it, it is their jurisdiction that counts. This strange system has not proven popular with Czech bettors, as you might imagine.

High taxes, the lack of bonuses and promos at Czech sites, and intensive KYC processes kind of drive away Czech players. Instead, many opt to play at so-called offshore casinos, where the atmosphere is more relaxed. Of course, this isn’t strictly legal in Czech law.

The Czech authorities (Ministry of Finance) regulate and license their own gambling industry. The level of regulation involved protects against problem gambling, but it is also notoriously strict, dare we say, Draconian. The most bizarre of these measures is the face-to-face verification system that is in place.

Before you can gamble, you must visit your region or municipality’s public notary. From there, you must bring along 200 Czech crowns, a government-issued ID, and a secondary ID. These are then sent off to the casino for ID verification. There has been talk of removing this face-to-face verification process, but that hasn’t happened so far. If you don’t have these options, you can’t gamble – it is as simple as that.

There are just three companies operating in the Czech Republic under a Czech license – Tipsport (the state-run monopoly for lotteries), Synot and Fortuna. Most other brands have chosen not to get involved, predominantly due to the extraordinarily high gambling taxes.

Of course, the level of taxes and strict regulation, not to mention the face-to-face meetings, have forced many Czech players to seek gameplay elsewhere. Most head over to offshore casinos. While not strictly legal, the Czech Republic doesn’t punish its players for doing so. By not allowing non-Czech businesses to obtain gambling licenses, the Czech Republic is breaking EU law. The EU has a plan for that. They permit any EU casino the right to offer its services to players in that country (in this case, the Czech Republic) without a license. This is primarily the reason why the Czech Republic cannot prosecute players who choose to explore offshore casinos.

Sports betting is by far the most popular form of gambling in the Czech Republic. Slots and table games are also popular with bettors, particularly those from local developers. Arguably the most famous provider to come out of the Czech Republic itself is Endorphina. They largely produce slots, with around a hundred games in their portfolio.

The Czech Republic’s betting sites are also home to software from many of today’s most established providers. For instance, you can expect to see games from Big Time Gaming, Leander, Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech, and Play ‘n Go at their betting sites. Venture over to offshore casinos, and you’ll find many more titles from a broader array of developers.

Czech-licensed casinos can only be played by those inside the country. You’ll need a Czech passport or ID card to play, and you’ll need to attend a face-to-face meeting to get permission to gamble. This makes it almost impossible for foreigners to play at Czech sites. However, the restrictions are far fewer if Czech players want to play at offshore casinos, where often, just an ID card and proof of payment are enough to gamble.