Market Opportunities: How Serbian and Slovenian Legislation Shape the Online Casino Industry

Whether you're a casual player or an operator who's considering entering the local market, staying up-to-date with current regulations is crucial. Player's comfort and avoiding sanctions are two main reasons for staying up-to-date with the casino industries in the aforementioned countries.

Expert Insights

“Obe državi sta legalizirali igralniške igre na srečo, vendar imata hkrati različne pristope k spletnemu igranju na srečo. Če izberite najboljše slovenske spletne igralnice na CasinoRIX, lahko vidite, da mnoge virtualne igralnice z offshor licencami in lokalnimi licencami sprejemajo slovenske igralce. Enako velja za srbske igralce. V obeh primerih sta vladi izgubili svoj monopol in skozi leta uvedli lastne licenčne sisteme.,” says iGaming expert Miloslav Hanzlowsky.

Legal Landscape in Serbia

It all started in the 1960s, when the first gambling regulations were passed. They paved the way to the first Serbian casino, which opened in Belgrade. Reforms in the early 2000s aimed to restore the legitimacy of the gambling industry. Then the 2011 legislation opened the market to international operators.

Gambling in Serbia today is legal for individuals over 18. Players must pay a 15% tax on sports betting winnings, while poker and slot machine winnings are tax-free.

The Gambling Management (GCA), Tax Department of the Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Defense oversee the gambling industry. Licenses for online casinos require a monthly fee of EUR 2,500 and a 15% income tax.

Market dynamics in Serbia

The number of local operators is still below the EU average. Despite legalization, a significant portion of the Serbian gambling market remains in the shadows. Positive changes are occurring, though, due to effective legislation, which attracts international manufacturers and new operators. The market is characterized by several constraints:

Only Serbian-registered companies with a minimum capital of EUR 250,000 can obtain a license.

Local operators like Mozart, Balkanbet, MaxBet, and RMco dominate the market, offering both betting and casino games.

Serbian players have access to multilingual online casinos and services from international developers.

All in all, the gambling market in Serbia is expected to grow, albeit not as rapidly as desired.

Revenue in the online sector is expected to grow to $142.90 million in 2024, with average revenue per user reaching $0.69k.

By 2029, the whole industry is expected to reach $186 million.

Legal Framework in Slovenia

In Slovenia, online gambling is organized by land-based operators who already hold a concession for a casino or traditional lottery games. Consequently, the only entities eligible to apply for an online gambling license are the country's two lottery operators and casino concessionaires.

Legal entities found organizing online gambling without a proper concession can face pretty high fines (penalties as high as EUR 250,000 are no exception). The individual accomplices will face up to EUR 10,000. Additionally, criminal penalties include imprisonment for up to three years, or up to eight years if significant sums of money are involved, for anyone organizing, participating in, or assisting with unauthorized online gambling activities.

Market Potential in Slovenia

The online gambling market in Slovenia, a country with three times more GPD per capita than Serbia, has seen notable growth in recent years.overall prosperity It was driven by shifting customer preferences and . The increasing popularity of online platforms and the variety of available games reflect a significant change in how Slovenian consumers choose to gamble.

Slovenian gamblers go online as well. Virtual gambling platforms offer a vast array of games, including slots, poker, and roulette, catering to diverse customer tastes. The comfort of gambling from home or while on the go has greatly contributed to the rising popularity of online gambling among Slovenian consumers.

Revenues in the Slovenian online sector have already surpassed $200 million in 2024.

The Slovenian market will be valued at around $260 million by the year 2029.

Conclusion

Both markets exhibit strong regulatory frameworks aimed at ensuring legal compliance and curbing illegal activities. However, they face distinct challenges.

While Serbia struggles with a substantial black market and is still working towards complete legalization and regulation of all gambling activities, Slovenia enjoys a more controlled market environment with clear regulatory guidelines but faces limitations due to the requirement that online operators must be linked to land-based concessions.