Decision in Czech Courts: Prague Granted Autonomy for Gambling regulations Management
Breaking the Odds: Prague's Districts Gain Control Over Gambling Regulations
Self-Regulation Unleashed in the Capital City
Published on: 07.05.2025. Updated on: 08.05.2025.
- Prague Districts Embrace Self-Regulation of Gambling
- 41 of 57 Districts Ban Live Casino Games Already
- Court Ruling Bolsters Local Empowerment and Addiction Prevention
Prague's Autonomy Reinforced by Court Decision
The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic (Ústavní soud České republiky) has sanctioned the city of Prague to self-govern gambling regulations [English link]. Among the 57 Prague districts, all will now be free to establish their unique rules moving forward.
Districts now possess the chance to establish their own ruleset. They can also independently implement restrictions or prohibitions on poker games, roulette, blackjack, and other table games, as well as dice games.
The Constitutional Court's ruling echoes the Czech gambling regulations of 2021. This regulation permits live casino games within Prague. However, it bans slot machines citywide.
In 2023, the Ministry of the Interior and the Czech Office for Competition Protection (ÚOHS) [English link] contested this rule, arguing that the requirements were anti-competitive and lacked clarity.
Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court dismissed the challenge, citing that the regulations adhere to the Czech Gambling Act of 2016.
Gambling in the Czech Republic
Licensed gambling operators can offer their services across the nation. These licenses are issued by the Ministry of Finance (Ministerstvo financí České republiky). The Czech Republic also enforces regulations for sports betting, lotteries, and online gambling.
The country maintains a national self-exclusion register (Rejstřík vyloučených osob), which prohibits individuals with gambling addictions from accessing the entire gambling market in the Czech Republic. This system is reminiscent of the German OASIS blocking system.
Gambling Landscape Shaping Up in Prague
Thus far, 41 of the 57 Prague districts have instituted a total ban on live casino games. The remaining districts have established limitations on casino operating hours.
The Constitutional Court also stipulates that Prague districts should consider public sentiment when making decisions about gambling regulations. The new rules pave the way for customized choices, addressing the needs of the district's residents.
Still, the new regulations in Prague have not been met with consensus. Judge Milan Hulmák expressed reservations, stating that in his view, there are no compelling reasons to justify divergent gambling regulations inside Prague.
Recently, the gambling industry has faced a storm due to a comprehensive financial authority investigation, which uncovered tax evasion in 2021 and 2022. The financial authority demanded roughly 540 million CZK (approximately 22 million euros) in back taxes from the gambling sector. Affected providers also face additional fines due to misrepresentations to the tax authority. However, specific entities implicated in the misconduct were not disclosed.
Nevertheless, the Prague city council applauded the Czech Constitutional Court's ruling, heralding it as a significant stride towards self-determination for individual districts, offering better protection for the citizenry.
[3]: https://www.iir.cz/clanky/cz/2025/05/07/pragoske-krajene-se-uz-mohou-ustavit-sami-pravidla-pro-hazardove- startupy/1_639608
- In 2025, the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic approved self-regulation of online casinos in Germany, enabling Prague districts to establish their unique policies and regulations for gambling.
- As a result of the Constitutional Court's ruling, Prague districts are now free to regulate online poker, blackjack, roulette, and other casino games, with some districts already imposing a total ban on live casino games.
- The Czech gambling regulations of 2021, which permit live casino games within Prague but ban slot machines citywide, have been reinforced by the Constitutional Court's decision, despite initial challenges from the Ministry of the Interior and the Czech Office for Competition Protection in 2023.
- Looking towards 2025, the gambling landscape in Prague is shaping up to offer customized choices, based on the sentiment of each district's residents, while addressing concerns related to addiction prevention and public policy-and-legislation within the realm of politics and general news.
