Protection Measures to Take
When Playing at a Polish Online Casino
The ever-growing segment of online gambling – valued at over $58 billion at the time of writing and expected to double by the middle of the decade – has been accelerating even more ever since the notorious pandemic started to force land-based casino fans to switch to online sites. The same can be said about Polish online casinos: frequented by at least 3 million users and visited annually by 6 million, they shine as never before.
The abundance of choices may make you think you can just randomly choose an online casino and be happy with it, which, unfortunately, is not the case for two main reasons. First, both online and offline gambling in Poland is monopolized by the state, which imposes certain restrictions. Second, gambling online may not be safe unless you take the necessary safety measures.
But don’t worry – you’ll still be able to enjoy your favorite kasyno Nomini or whatever it is as long as you follow the advice in the lines below. Before we start, though, let’s give some credit to Aleksandra Maj, the co-author of this piece, who gave us some surprising insights into the Polish online gambling market.
Here’s What You Should Know about the Polish Online Gambling Laws
The free market may seem to be the most logical in the XXI century, but that doesn’t apply to the Polish government, which has been trying to keep third-party casino operators in a chokehold for quite a while. Both online and offline gambling in Poland is regulated by the Minister of Finance through the Act on Gambling Games, and here’s what the latest amendment to the Act (of April 1, 2017) says:
- Only casinos licensed by the Minister of Finance are allowed to operate.
- Internet providers are obliged to deny access to unlicensed casinos, redirecting users to the governmental website with the info on the Polish gambling laws.
But there’s a very important nuance: there are neither penalties nor direct prohibitions for accessing unlicensed casinos, which means the worst-case scenario would be that you are denied access to your casino. Not too big of a problem, huh? In other words, you are free to choose any casino you want as long as you are confident in its quality. Speaking of which, there are certain ways to make sure that the site you are going to choose is reliable and fair. Read on.
Checking the Quality of Your Online Casino
Whether you’re going to play at a Polish online casino or an international one like Vulkan Vegas, Slottica, or Energy Casino, it’s not hard at all to verify its quality. Look for:
- Reliable licenses. The lion’s share of casinos hold at least a single license, which signifies their high standards. The most trusted European license issuers are probably the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority, but then again, any license is much better than no license at all.
- Tested software or Provably Fair system. There are two ways to make sure the gambling process isn’t rigged: first, you can check if the software is approved by eCOGRA or a similar testing agency; second, you can opt for a blockchain-based Provably Fair casino, in which all results are recorded in a verifiable public ledger.
- Broad library of games. The more games you have access to, the better – slots, table games, wheel games, and card games are a must – especially if those are provided by renowned brands: Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, iSoftBet, Playson, 25 euro no deposit bonus, etc.
- Free-of-charge payouts with comfortable withdrawal limits. Make sure that you can withdraw as much money as you want and with no fees. Besides, check if full verification is required for withdrawals.
- Generous bonuses with reasonable wagering. Most casinos offer mind-boggling bonuses, accompanying them with unrealistic wagering requirements like 70x or more. Do not buy into that – choose casinos with achievable wagering – 20x or less – or otherwise you won’t be able to play it through.
Last but not least, keep your gambling passion in check. Do not forget that gambling can be addictive. If you reveal symptoms of gambling addiction, immediately ask for help at international – BeGambleAware, Gamblers Anonymous, GamCare, etc. – or local problem gambling organizations.