Czech Republic’s Gaming Act: restrict online bonuses and free bets

The government of Czech Republic has announced its plans to restrict online bonuses and free bets, citing concerns over alleged links between these promotions and problematic gambling.

The Czech Ministry of Finance issued a document detailing its fears over operators’ bonuses, which it says induces customers to new gambling problems, and thus should be strictly controlled.

“The casinos, appealing to instant and seemingly easy winnings, have become a typical coloring not only of the suburbs of the Czech cities, but also of their centers and centers of smaller municipalities, and of all the related socially harmful activities, pose a threat to public order and peaceful coexistence in the village,” says the report, and adds that the Gambling Act that started regulating the market on January 1 extends the range of entities that can operate gambling in the Czech Republic and also allows to operate almost all kinds of gambling through public the Internet.

“Given the fact that gambling is an area of ​​business that carries a negative social cost, as it causes pathological gambling and associated undesirable manifestations in a particular part of the population, a new legal framework has been put in place to improve consumer protection the conditions under which gambling can be run, not only the conditions relating to the direct provision of gambling, but also related activities such as advertising and others,” says the report released on August 25 by the entity, which also specified that the interpretation of the Gambling Act and the application of the law is entirely within the competence of the authority responsible for issuing permits or the implementation of supervision and administrative penalties, depending on the nature of the case. The report also establishes that some type of bonuses might be banned under the Gambling Act.

Czech legislators have been holding a long discussion on gaming legislation for quite some time now, as the government seeks stricter control on the industry. Last month, lawmakers proposed a time limit for players’ participation in gaming services. Operators would have to comply with new amendment, which would set a maximum limit on hour basis.