Poland Tightens Economic Tourniquet on Gambling

Political turmoil and scandal earlier this year led to the resignation of many high level ministers in the Polish government. The ministers were accused of lobbying on behalf of the gambling industry. In a bold move to clean and polish the reputation of the government, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has begun to eradicate the local gambling industry and plans to continue until there’s only a small, high-regulated portion left.

Tusk started his tirade against gambling with the slot machines. A plan has been released that will rid Poland of the one-armed-bandits outside of casinos. The government’s plans, however, do not stop with the slots.

Online gambling has become a major target. Polish gambling laws are being tailored to make it illegal for Poles to gamble on foreign sites. All the reforms that are to be instilled serve the purpose of cutting back on gambling in Poland, reduce the risk of scandal in the government, and maximize the profits made by the government through the industry.

Online gambling sites in Poland bring massive revenue to other countries within the EU and therein lies the hope of the online gambling community. If all goes as planned for the Poles, then there’s a good chance that the European Commission will intervene in the matter. Many countries within the EU, such as France and Italy, have been forced to comply to the EU law and there is no reason Poland could be an exception to the rule.

Despite the authoritative attempts of the Polish government and the initiatives of Tusk in particular, the final word in the matter may rest with the decisions of the European Commission and European Union Laws. Internet gambling in Poland will likely remain a common pastime despite the current government goals. Once memory of recent scandals disintegrate, government initiative will most likely become more lax.