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1. Market overview
Where the market sits, who runs it and under what law.
Gambling business in Croatia
Croatia is a country in the south of Central Europe where most gambling is allowed. Anyone over the age of 18 can play in both land and online casinos. In 2014, the government of the republic passed a law allowing the operation of land-based gambling establishments and online casinos in Croatia. There are now more than 10 casinos in the country, as well as bookmakers and bingo halls.
As for online gambling games, players have access to both local websites as well as resources of foreign operators. Due to the fact that revenues from tourism are an impressive part of the Croatian budget, the government pays special attention to the development of the entertainment industry. Thanks to this, gambling operators are supported in the country and restrictions on access to this type of entertainment apply only to minors.
Croatian gambling laws
Gambling in Croatia is regulated by the gambling law adopted in 2014 (Zakon o igrama na sreću). This regulation divides the games allowed in the country into 4 categories:
- Lotteries and bingo;
- Casino games;
- Sports betting;
- Slot machines.
Gambling regulations in Croatia
The gambling business in Croatia is regulated by the Ministry of Finance. The gaming operator has the opportunity to obtain an activity license after the application is approved and the tender is won. This takes into account how high a profit the enterprise can make in the state budget. If the government decides in favor of the operator, it can obtain the relevant permit within 60 days.
Licensing terms and conditions
To participate in the tender, the company must submit the following information:
Company Details:
- Headquarters addresses,
- List of owners,
- Copies of ID cards;
Documents proving a sufficient amount of initial capital and reliable information on the origin of these funds;
Certificates of absence of authorized persons.
The foreign operator is obliged to present documents proving the absence of tax debt in the country of registration. The company may lose its license in case of bankruptcy or non-compliance with the terms of the contract with the Croatian government. The permit is issued for a period of 15 years. Operators are required to pay an annual fee of HRK 500,000 for gambling licenses, land-based establishments and HRK 3,000,000 for online casinos. The following factors may be the reason for early termination of the contract:
- Providing false information when submitting an application;
- Violation of the provisions of the contract by the operator;
- Non-compliance with technical requirements;
- Start of activities before the deadlines set by the Ministry of Finance;
- Lack of a bank guarantee in an adequate amount;
- Changing the structure of the company without the permission of the Ministry of Finance.
At the end of each year, the company must submit a business plan for the following year. No later than the 20th day of each month, the operator must submit a monthly work report. The minimum authorized capital is HRK 4,000,000. The minimum bank guarantee is HRK 1,500,000 for land-based casinos and HRK 3,000,000 for online casinos.
The following types of gaming games are subject to licensing:
- Lotteries;
- Bingo;
- Casino card and table games;
- Slot machines;
- Sports betting.
Uniformed persons can visit the casino only to perform their official duties. The administration has the right not to allow visitors if they doubt the honesty of their game. In addition, restrictions apply when there is reason to believe that gambling systematically causes significant financial harm to the player. Casino employees must have a professional qualification permit.
In Croatia, separate halls with slot machines are allowed to operate together with casinos. The company that deals with this format of gambling should provide restrictions for underage players and not allow them to visit. Slot machines can be placed in specially equipped rooms, with a separate entrance or in a makeshift building. To obtain a permit, an operator must have a registered capital of at least HRK 2,000,000. The amount of bank guarantee required depends on the number of slot machines:
- 31-60 devices - HRK 500,000;
- 61-90 - 700,000 HRK;
- 91-120 - 900,000 HRK;
- 121-150 - 1,100,000 HRK;
- 151-180 - 1,300,000 HRK;
- 181-210 - HRK 1,500,000;
- 211-250 - 2,000,000 HRK;
- More than 250 - 5,000,000 HRK.
The annual fee is HRK 10,000 per car. Monthly fee - 25% of profit.
Online games in Croatia
According to the 2010 Interactive Online Casino Ordinance, online gaming services are allowed in Croatia. All adult users can play games on gaming sites. Internet games are also sold by state-owned operator Hrvatska Lutrija and its subsidiary Prva Sportska Kladionica. They work with gaming software providers such as Intralot Interactive and Microgaming. There are no known local developers in Croatia.
The most popular slots in Croatia
According to the rating of the state operator Hrvatska Lutrija, the following slot machines are currently the most popular among Croatian players (in descending order):
- Retro Reels Extreme Heat;
- Retro Reels;
- Gold Factory;
- Break the Bank Again;
- Startlight Kiss;
- Break the Bank;
- Reel Gems;
- Adventure Palace;
- Mermaids Millions;
- Joker 8 000.
Prospects for the development of the gambling business in Croatia
Intensive development of gambling in Croatia began as early as 1991, when the republic declared itself an independent state. Since the government initially started accepting tourists, gambling establishments operating in large hotels have been attractive to them. Suffice it to recall the country’s largest casino at the Mulino Lux Casino Hotel, which operates on the basis of a hotel complex in the resort town of Buy.
Currently, the interest of players in sports betting is growing. There is no need to talk about a possible tightening of gambling legislation in Croatia. Since the Republic has been a member of the European Union since 2013, it is subject to the requirements for free access to goods and services registered in the EU.
So Croatian gambling laws provide players with sufficient freedom of action. The gambling business is regulated in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of harm from gambling addiction and to make the maximum contribution to the replenishment of the state budget. Players can choose games for any taste
- Region
- Europe
- Legal status of gambling
- Regulated
- National regulator
- Ministry of Finance.
- Regulator website
- Under verification
- Key legislation
- Gambling Law adopted 2014 (Zakon o igrama na sreću); 2010 Interactive Online Casino Ordinance (online gambling).
- Minimum player age
- 18
2. Allowed verticals
What may be offered, and whether it needs a licence.
| Vertical | Status | Licence required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lottery | Permitted with a licence | Yes | — |
| Bingo | Permitted with a licence | Yes | — |
| Land-based casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | More than 10 casinos in the country at the time of the source; minimum registered capital HRK 4,000,000, minimum bank guarantee HRK 1,500,000. |
| Sports betting | Permitted with a licence | Yes | — |
| Slots / gaming halls | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Standalone slot halls permitted alongside casinos; bank guarantee required scales with machine count, from HRK 500,000 for 31–60 machines up to HRK 5,000,000 for more than 250. |
| Online casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Permitted under the 2010 Interactive Online Casino Ordinance. State operator Hrvatska Lutrija and its subsidiary Prva Sportska Kladionica sell games online, working with software providers Intralot Interactive and Microgaming; no local developers are named in the source. |
3. Licensing framework
What a licence is, what it costs and what the holder must have in country.
- B2C licensing
- Under verification
- B2B licensing
- Under verification
- Licence term
- 15 years.
- Application fee
- Under verification
- Annual fee
- HRK 500,000 for land-based gambling licences; HRK 3,000,000 for online casino licences. Standalone slot-machine halls additionally pay HRK 10,000 per machine per year, plus a monthly fee of 25% of profit.
- Local presence required
- Under verification
- Share capital required
- Minimum authorised capital HRK 4,000,000 generally; HRK 2,000,000 for a standalone slot-machine hall.
| Licence | Type | Product | Authority | Duration | Fee | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gambling operator licence | B2C | Land-based and online gambling | Ministry of Finance | 15 years | HRK 500,000/year (land-based) or HRK 3,000,000/year (online) | Awarded by tender; applicant must submit company and ownership details, proof of sufficient capital and its origin, and (for foreign operators) proof of no outstanding tax debt in their country of registration. |
4. Taxation and banking
What the state takes, and whether the money can move.
- Gaming tax (GGR)
- Under verification
- Corporate income tax
- Under verification
- Tax on player winnings
- Under verification
- Payments
- Under verification
- Banking and payments
- Under verification
| Tax | Rate | Base | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot machine monthly fee | 25% of profit | Monthly profit from slot machines | — |
5. Technical requirements and compliance
What has to be certified, recorded and kept inside the border.
- Certification and game testing
- Under verification
- Responsible gambling
- Entry is restricted to adults; uniformed persons may enter only on official duty; the administration may refuse entry where there is doubt about the fairness of play, or reason to believe gambling is causing the player significant financial harm; casino employees must hold a professional qualification permit; underage players must be excluded from slot-machine halls.
- AML regime
- Under verification
- AML and KYC
- Under verification
- Server and data localisation
- Under verification
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Planning to enter Croatia?
A regulatory assessment reads Croatia's regime against your own products, licence class and corporate structure, and says what follows for each: what you may offer, what you must hold, what it costs and what will change.
Who wrote this
- Last reviewed
Regulatory Intelligence disclaimer
Information is provided for general regulatory intelligence purposes and should not be treated as legal advice for a specific transaction or business model. Regulatory requirements may change and should be confirmed before market entry or implementation.