Gambling in Slovakia dates back to the 19th century, when horse racing was a significant sport in the country. The Racing Association organized races for the first time in 1840. The first hippodrome was erected in Bratislava in the 1860s, and this form of gambling has grown in popularity in Slovakia since then.
There were no casinos in the country during the communist era. The gambling market in Slovakia began to expand in the 1990s. During the late 1990s, the first online casinos that allowed Slovakians to play began to open shop.
Gambling in Slovakia Nowadays
There is now only one Slovakia-approved online casino; the local lottery operator. In 2016, the local government initiated a campaign against local land-based gaming establishments and foreign-operated web-based European casinos. All unlicensed casino operators were to be barred from operating and penalized. Local internet service providers were also not happy with the new anti-gambling laws because they didn't get paid for blocking websites.
Aside from online casino platforms, new limits were imposed on local brick-and-mortar gambling establishments, which have been growing in popularity across the country. As a result, gaming machines in all bars in Slovakia were outlawed. In 2017, the City Council of Bratislava began yet another major anti-gambling campaign in the country. All casino games have been banned in the area surrounding the country's capital.
Slovak players now have access to a variety of new casino sites. The majority of them provide simple payment options. Citizens of Bratislava should not be deterred by the municipal authorities' tough stance. After all, they still have access to some of the best new online casino sites for Slovak gamers. These can all be accessed without fear of legal ramifications.