Croatia: gambling regulation and licensing

Croatia runs a closed, capped regime in which online gambling is an extension of a land-based right. The Games of Chance Act (Narodne novine 87/2009, last amended by NN 72/2025) reserves lottery games, including bingo, to the state-owned Hrvatska Lutrija. Casino games and betting are open to companies based in Croatia that win a Government decision and a 15-year contract with the Ministry of Finance, and the Government caps each category at 20 companies. Apart from Hrvatska Lutrija, which holds its rights by statute, only a holder of such a right can be approved to offer the same games online: online casino needs at least one open casino, and online betting needs at least 100 employees and 50 betting outlets. The Tax Administration lists twelve approved online operators. There is no single gaming tax. Operators pay a monthly fee of 15% of casino results or 5% of betting stakes, plus annual fees that NN 72/2025 raised to EUR 600,000 for online casino and EUR 400,000 for online betting from May 2025. Players pay a withheld tax of 10% to 30% on winnings. The same package banned gambling advertising online and on radio and television between 06:00 and 23:00, in print and on public surfaces, barred celebrities and social media creators from promoting gambling, and created a national register of excluded players at the Croatian Institute of Public Health, live since August 2025. Unlicensed offshore sites are blocked by Tax Administration order, and the list held 1,319 entries in September 2026. Taxes and fees from games of chance brought the state budget EUR 388.5 million in 2025.

Regulator

Ministry of Finance

Regulator type

Government ministry

Headline tax

15% GGR

Licence required

Yes

Minimum age

18+

Tax base

Croatia levies fees rather than a gaming tax. Casino operators, including online casino, which is recorded as a separate casino, pay a monthly fee of 15% of the sum of daily results of all tables and machines (stakes less winnings), or of the operator's retained share in games played between players; tournaments pay 25% of the retained share (Games of Chance Act, art. 38). Betting operators pay a monthly fee of 5% of total stakes (art. 51(3)). Slot operators pay 25% of daily results (art. 58(4)) and Hrvatska Lutrija pays 10% of lottery sales (art. 17). Fixed annual fees come on top: EUR 600,000 for online casino and EUR 400,000 for online betting.

Capital

Zagreb

Currency

EUR

Official languages

Croatian

Licence required

Yes

Application window

Capped

Local establishment required

Yes

Local server required

Not yet verified

Licence cap

20

Active licences

12 (as of 23 Sept 2026)

Bank guarantee or bond

Bank guarantees from a bank based in Croatia: EUR 199,084.21 per casino, EUR 398,168.43 for online casino, and EUR 663,614.04 to EUR 1,990,842.13 for betting depending on prior-year stakes (Games of Chance Act, arts. 37 and 50).

Notable licensees

Adria Casino d.o.o., Favorit Sportska Kladionica d.o.o., Germania Sport d.o.o., Hattrick-PSK d.o.o., Hrvatska Lutrija d.o.o., Interigre d.o.o., Major Internacional d.o.o., Modern Games d.o.o., Palisada d.o.o., Super Igra d.o.o., Super Sport d.o.o., Top Games d.o.o.

Certification requirements

Online systems must follow the Ministry of Finance technical documentation and be directly connected to its information system. Games using a random number generator must be certified by a laboratory approved by the Ministry, and certificates are valid only once the Ministry confirms them (NN 78/2010, art. 18). NN 129/2025 removed the rule that online casino equipment be located only in Croatia; the application must still state where the equipment is.

Barriers to entry

Structural. Only companies based in Croatia can hold rights, casino and betting rights are each capped at 20, and online approval is available only on top of a land-based right: at least one open casino for online casino, and at least 100 employees and 50 betting outlets for online betting. Since May 2025 the online annual fees are EUR 600,000 (casino) and EUR 400,000 (betting), on top of the monthly fees. The Tax Administration listed twelve companies approved for online games of chance, including Hrvatska Lutrija, when checked on 23 September 2026.

Headline GGR tax

15% GGR

Effective date

1 May 2025

Turnover tax

5%

Player winnings tax

Betting winnings: 10% up to EUR 1,500, 15% above EUR 1,500 to EUR 4,000, 20% above EUR 4,000 to EUR 70,000 and 30% above EUR 70,000 (art. 52(2)). Lottery winnings: the same bands, with winnings of EUR 100 or less exempt (art. 18(3)). The Tax Administration applies the betting tax to the winning less the stake on the slip.

Withholding mechanism

The operator calculates and withholds the tax when paying the winning and pays it by the 15th of the following month (arts. 18(4) and 52(3)).

Tax base

Croatia levies fees rather than a gaming tax. Casino operators, including online casino, which is recorded as a separate casino, pay a monthly fee of 15% of the sum of daily results of all tables and machines (stakes less winnings), or of the operator's retained share in games played between players; tournaments pay 25% of the retained share (Games of Chance Act, art. 38). Betting operators pay a monthly fee of 5% of total stakes (art. 51(3)). Slot operators pay 25% of daily results (art. 58(4)) and Hrvatska Lutrija pays 10% of lottery sales (art. 17). Fixed annual fees come on top: EUR 600,000 for online casino and EUR 400,000 for online betting.

Minimum age

18+

National self-exclusion

Register of excluded players (Registar isključenih igrača), Croatian Institute of Public Health (mandatory)

KYC timing

At registration, before play

AML regime

Online and land-based operators are obliged entities under the AML Act and must carry out customer due diligence on stakes or winnings of EUR 2,000 or more, single or linked (art. 16(1)(4)); the Games of Chance Act (art. 65) also requires AML compliance.

AML supervisor

Tax Administration (AML Act, art. 82(6)); the Financial Inspectorate may run targeted inspections.

Deposit limits

Players may set, in writing or electronically, a maximum deposit for a chosen period (remote betting rulebook, art. 19; online casino rulebook, art. 20).

Loss limits

Players may set a maximum loss for a chosen period.

Central monitoring system

Online casino and online betting operators must be directly connected in real time to the Ministry of Finance information system (Games of Chance Act, arts. 53 and 62; NN 78/2010 and NN 8/2010, art. 3).

KYC requirements

Players must give identification data at registration. The operator verifies the data and that the player is an adult through Tax Administration e-services, a debit or credit card holder check, or remote identification under the AML rules (online casino and remote betting rulebooks, as amended by NN 129/2025).

Stake limits

Not yet verified

Mandatory player messaging

The operator home page must link to the company details, the Ministry approval number, game rules, a notice that under-18s may not play, a warning that gambling can cause addiction with a link to help, and a data protection statement (NN 78/2010, art. 8). Advertising must warn of addiction and of the ban on minors (Games of Chance Act, art. 67.b(9)).

Reporting obligations

Monthly records with the final result and proof of the monthly fee by the 20th of the following month; fees due by the 15th. Exclusion requests must be entered in the national register immediately and at the latest within 24 hours (art. 67.e(4)).

Advertising permitted

Yes

Watershed

Gambling advertising online, on radio and television and in electronic publications is allowed only between 23:00 and 06:00 (art. 67.b(1)), in force for operators from 1 January 2026.

Affiliate rules

Content in electronic publications may not include links leading in any way to gambling operator sites (art. 67.b(4)); publishers and media service providers are bound by the bans alongside operators.

Sponsorship rules

Sponsorship may show only the company name, logo and service mark, with no element inviting people to gamble (art. 67.d(1)).

Celebrity and influencer rules

Well-known people and people with media influence may not appear in gambling advertising online, on radio and television, in print or on public surfaces (art. 67.d(2)).

Social media rules

Social media content creators may not promote or advertise games of chance or live-stream gambling (art. 67.d(3)).

Bonus advertising rules

Advertising that invites people to gamble with bonuses, free spins or similar incentives is banned except on the operator's own website (art. 67.b(8)).

Mandatory warnings

Every gambling advertisement must warn that games of chance can cause addiction and that minors may not take part (art. 67.b(9)).

Penalties for breach

Legal persons: EUR 6,630 to EUR 66,360, and EUR 660 to EUR 6,630 for the responsible person (art. 72). Natural persons who advertise in breach of the bans, and content creators who promote or stream gambling: EUR 3,980 to EUR 6,630 (art. 73(3) and (4)).

Credit card ban

No

Crypto stance

Not yet verified

Permitted methods

Debit card, Credit card, Other electronic payment systems, Bank payment transaction, Activation voucher, Cash at the operator's betting outlets (betting accounts)

Withdrawal timeframe rules

Winnings must be paid on request immediately and at the latest within three working days for betting and four working days for online casino. Funds available for payout on an account with no deposit for twelve months must be returned to the player's bank account (NN 129/2025 rulebooks).

Currency restrictions

Operators may transact with players only through a special-purpose account opened in Croatia, and winnings may be paid only to the player's registered account (NN 78/2010, art. 6; NN 8/2010, art. 6). Only winnings may be withdrawn; deposits and bonuses must be recorded separately.

ISP blocking

Yes

DNS blocking

Not yet verified

Payment blocking

Not yet verified

App store takedowns

Not yet verified

Blocklist size

1,319 (as of 21 Sept 2026)

Administrative penalties

Misdemeanour fines of EUR 6,630 to EUR 66,360 for legal persons and EUR 660 to EUR 6,630 for responsible persons (art. 72); confiscation of illegal gains and equipment (art. 76); revocation of the right by the Government (art. 32), which since 2025 includes breaches of responsible gambling rules.

Operator liability

Organising games of chance without a Government decision or approval is an offence (art. 72(1)(1)), and foreign operators may not offer games in Croatia (art. 68). Under art. 44(3) of the General Tax Act the Tax Administration orders unlicensed gambling websites closed; the addresses are blocked within 15 days of the order. Its list held 1,319 entries (1,293 distinct addresses) at 21 September 2026, with 193 addresses added in 2026.

Player liability

Taking part in foreign games of chance where stakes are paid in Croatia is prohibited (art. 68(1)(2)); a natural person who breaches the ban faces a fine of EUR 1,320 to EUR 6,630 (art. 73(5)).

Figures on this record are drawn from official regulator data.

Online GGR

Not yet verified

Reporting year

2026

Licensed operators

12

1. 1 Jan 2010

   Games of Chance Act enters into force

2. 15 Jan 2010

   Remote betting rulebook published

3. 23 Jun 2010

   Online casino rulebook published

4. 6 Aug 2010

   Government caps casino and betting rights at 20 companies each

5. 27 May 2019

   Tax Administration issues its first website blocking order

6. 1 Jan 2023

   Fees, guarantees and fines converted to euro

7. 1 May 2025

   NN 72/2025 amendments in force: higher fees, new winnings tax, advertising bans, exclusion register

8. 1 Aug 2025

   Register of excluded players starts operating at the Croatian Institute of Public Health

9. 16 Oct 2025

   Responsible gambling decree and amended online rulebooks in force; Government grants 15-year betting rights to six companies

10. 1 Jan 2026

    Deadline for operators to comply with the advertising, identification and shop-front rules

11. 10 Jan 2026

    Tax Administration reports EUR 388.5 million in gambling taxes and fees paid to the state budget in 2025, up from EUR 354.2 million in 2024

12. 30 Jul 2026

    Rulebook on the register of excluded players enters into force

13. 15 Sept 2026

    Latest batch of website blocking orders

The next year is about enforcing the 2025 package rather than new law. The advertising, identification and shop-front rules have applied to operators since 1 January 2026, and the Minister of Health issued the excluded players register rulebook in July 2026. Companies that re-acquire a right must obtain approval within six months of the new contract to keep trading at venues that meet the new distance rules, and existing operators must apply before their current rights expire; six companies received new 15-year betting rights in October 2025. The Tax Administration keeps adding sites to its blocking list: 193 addresses so far in 2026.

Can an operator get an online-only licence in Croatia?

No. Apart from the state-owned Hrvatska Lutrija, which holds its rights by statute, online approval is available only to a company based in Croatia that holds a Government-granted right to organise casino games or betting. Online casino also requires at least one open casino, and online betting at least 100 employees and 50 betting outlets.

What does a licensed online operator pay?

A monthly fee of 15% of casino results or 5% of total betting stakes, plus annual fees of EUR 600,000 for online casino and EUR 400,000 for online betting since May 2025, on top of the fees for the land-based right.

How are gambling winnings taxed in Croatia?

The operator withholds 10% up to EUR 1,500, 15% from EUR 1,500 to EUR 4,000, 20% from EUR 4,000 to EUR 70,000 and 30% above EUR 70,000. Lottery winnings of EUR 100 or less are exempt.

When may gambling be advertised?

Online, on radio and television and in electronic publications only between 23:00 and 06:00. Print and public surface advertising is banned, celebrities and social media creators may not promote gambling, and bonus offers may be advertised only on the operator's own website.

Is there a national self-exclusion register?

Yes. The Croatian Institute of Public Health has run the register of excluded players since August 2025. Exclusion lasts from three months (irrevocable) to life, and operators must enter requests within 24 hours and keep excluded players out.

Does Croatia block unlicensed gambling sites?

Yes. The Tax Administration orders unlicensed sites closed and has them blocked within 15 days; its list held 1,319 entries in September 2026. Players who take part in foreign games of chance can be fined EUR 1,320 to EUR 6,630.

• Slovenia
• Serbia
• Hungary
• Slovakia
• Bulgaria

1. Zakon o igrama na sreću (Games of Chance Act), NN 87/2009

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 21 Jul 2009
2. Zakon o izmjenama Zakona o igrama na sreću (Act amending the Games of Chance Act, euro conversion), NN 114/2022

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 3 Oct 2022
3. Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o igrama na sreću (Act on Amendments to the Games of Chance Act), NN 72/2025

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 23 Apr 2025
4. Odluka o broju priređivača kojima se može dati pravo priređivanja igara na sreću u casinima (Government decision on the number of casino operators), NN 96/2010

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Aug 2010
5. Odluka o broju priređivača kojima se može dati pravo priređivanja igara klađenja (Government decision on the number of betting operators), NN 96/2010

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Aug 2010
6. Odluka o davanju prava priređivanja igara klađenja (Government decision granting betting rights), NN 130/2025

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 17 Oct 2025
7. Uredba o mjerama društveno odgovornog priređivanja igara na sreću (Decree on socially responsible gambling measures), NN 129/2025

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 15 Oct 2025
8. Pravilnik o izmjenama i dopunama Pravilnika o priređivanju igara klađenja na daljinu (amendments to the remote betting rulebook), NN 129/2025

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 15 Oct 2025
9. Pravilnik o izmjenama i dopunama Pravilnika o priređivanju igara na sreću u casinima putem interaktivnih prodajnih kanala on-line igranja (amendments to the online casino rulebook), NN 129/2025

   Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

   Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 15 Oct 2025
10. Pravilnik o priređivanju igara klađenja na daljinu (Rulebook on remote betting), NN 8/2010

    Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 15 Jan 2010
11. Pravilnik o priređivanju igara na sreću u casinima putem interaktivnih prodajnih kanala on-line igranja (Rulebook on online casino games), NN 78/2010

    Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 23 Jun 2010
12. Pravilnik o sadržaju i načinu vođenja registra isključenih igrača (Rulebook on the register of excluded players), NN 80/2026

    Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Jul 2026
13. Zakon o sprječavanju pranja novca i financiranja terorizma (Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act), NN 108/2017

    Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 8 Nov 2017
14. Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o sprječavanju pranja novca i financiranja terorizma (AML Act amendments), NN 151/2022

    Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Dec 2022
15. Igre na sreću i nagradne igre (Games of chance and prize games)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
16. Igre na sreću u casinima (online casino technical documentation and approval)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
17. Igre u casinima (casino fees)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    The page still shows the annual fees set by NN 114/2022 (EUR 66,361.40 per casino and EUR 398,168.43 for online casino). NN 72/2025, in force since 1 May 2025, raised them to EUR 100,000 and EUR 600,000. The record follows the statute. The 15% monthly fee rates on this page match the Act.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
18. Naknade za priređivanje klađenja (betting fees)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    The page still shows the annual fees set by NN 114/2022 (EUR 132,722.81 for outlets and terminals and EUR 398,168.43 for online betting). NN 72/2025 raised them to EUR 200,000 and EUR 400,000. The record follows the statute. The 5% monthly fee on total stakes matches the Act.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
19. Porez na dobitke od igara klađenja (tax on betting winnings)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
20. Ostvareni prihodi s osnove poreza i naknada od igara na sreću (Revenue from gambling taxes and fees, 2020 to 2025)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 10 Jan 2026
21. Nedozvoljeno obavljanje gospodarske aktivnosti putem interneta (unlawful online activity: blocking orders and approved online operators)

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
22. Popis web adresa priređivača igara na sreću za koje je izdan nalog o zabrani rada (list of gambling websites under a ban order), version of 21 September 2026

    Ministarstvo financija, Porezna uprava (Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 21 Sept 2026
23. Registar isključenih igrača: upute za isključenje (Register of excluded players: how to apply)

    Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo (Croatian Institute of Public Health)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 10 Oct 2025