Polish minister shares his thoughts on gambling taxes and the internet

Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, Jarosław Gowin, has shared with local media his thoughts on gambling, to some extent pre-empting the release of the government’s draft on proposed amendments to the nation’s gambling laws.

The Minister suggested that by changing the present tax on sports betting from 12 percent of turnover to 20 percent of GGR, and regulating and licensing online casino and poker gambling, the government could raise more tax revenue, allocating 10 percent of this to fund problem gambling initiatives and provide donations to the country’s Olympic committee.

However, Gowin could find himself in conflict with his fellow Minister responsible for the Finance portfolio, who earlier this year spoke out against any further expansion of gambling in Poland.

The two could find common ground in their mutual desire to tighten up enforcement against illegal offshore gambling operators accessing Polish punters, using a mix of ISP and financial transaction interference.

Gowin appears to take a pragmatic view of the online gambling industry, suggesting that internet betting and wagering is a fact of life, and the government and people of Poland might as well benefit from a regulated, licensed and taxed industry.
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Polish sports bodies – especially football – appear to be supportive of Gowin’s ideas, which would enable them to benefit from advertising and sponsorships from properly licensed gambling companies.

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