New gambling ban in Croatia: shock for tourists!

New gambling ban in Croatia: shock for tourists!

On November 10, 2025, Croatia introduced a controversial online gambling regulation that was decided without consultation with the European Union. This new regulation aims to drastically regulate the online casino and sports betting market, particularly promoting the protection of young people.

The new requirements include a national blocking system that works similarly to the German OASIS system. In addition, a ban on advertising for gambling between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. was introduced. Celebrities and athletes are no longer allowed to appear in gambling consulting services to minimize the dangers of gambling.

Strict licensing fees and market impact

A significant feature of the new regulation is the increase in license fees to almost 400,000 euros. This could result in many providers having difficulty continuing to operate legally in the market. The fears are backed up by data from the European Union Drug Agency (EUDA), which shows that 12.9% of Croatian students are at risk of problem gambling and up to 50,000 people in Croatia are considered addicted to gambling.

The introduction of these measures is not without controversy. The European industry association Euromat has already lodged a complaint with the European Commission. Croatia is accused of violating the TRIS directive by failing to notify the new rules in a timely manner. If the violation is confirmed, the regulations could potentially be declared invalid.

Consequences for tourists and local providers

What is particularly relevant is that the blocking policy could also affect tourists who want to use online betting or casino games. Local providers warn that there could be a migration of players to unlicensed foreign platforms, which not only threatens revenues but could also increase the problem of gambling addiction. Over 900 websites have already been blocked by IP blocks to combat these trends.

These steps are seen as a signal to other EU states about the extent to which national governments can influence the regulation of digital markets. Croatia could thus take a pioneering role in European gambling policy.

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