Plota: Poland must clarify rules in the fight against illegal betting

Legal expert Marek Plota argues that Poland should give licensed betting operators clearer rules instead of fiscal penalty cases. In an interview with Maciej Akimow, RM Legal's managing partner Plota discussed the grey market, the state-monopoly online casino, private sector participation and the role of the European Union.

According to Plota, the core problem in the country is still steering players towards licensed channels. Estimates put this share at about 78 percent in licensed sports betting, and about 65 percent in the state-monopoly online casino. These figures show that illegal gambling still holds a significant part of the market.

Plota notes that blacklisting illegal websites alone is not enough. In his view, the role of payment channels and B2B suppliers should also be addressed, and enforcement should be made more effective and coordinated.

Plota believes the approach of regulators has changed. Reminding that illegal operators depend on payment flows, technology and game content, he points to Germany's GGL announcement of cross-border cooperation on 14 September as a sign of this trend. He says European suppliers should also understand the risks of supporting illegal operations.