EU Gambling Regulated Markets in 2026: Online Casino, Betting and B2B Licensing Compared

Last updated October 16, 2026. Rules change; we confirm current requirements in your roadmap.

Most European Union member states permit at least some forms of gambling, but the products open to private online operators differ substantially. Malta, Romania, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands license the relevant commercial online gambling activities. France licenses online betting and poker but generally prohibits online casino games. Finland is moving from a monopoly to a competitive licensing system that opens on 1 July 2027.

For operators, technology suppliers and investors, European market access comes down to four questions:

1. Which gambling products are permitted in the target country?
2. Is private commercial licensing available for those products?
3. Which company must hold the license, and what local requirements apply?
4. Do technology providers, affiliates or other suppliers need their own authorization?

This guide compares the main EU regulatory models, the changes of 2026 and 2027, and how to plan a lawful European expansion. For individual licenses, see our jurisdiction guides.

EU online gambling regulation: 2026 comparison matrix

The table covers commercial online gambling. State lotteries, land-based gaming and some horse-race betting products may follow separate arrangements.

Regulatory snapshot: 16 October 2026. “Permitted” always means subject to the correct license, product approval and continuing legal obligations. Verify the current national position before applying or accepting customers.

EU, EEA and European markets are not the same

• The European Union has 27 member states.
• Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are in the European Economic Area but not the EU.
• Great Britain and Switzerland are outside both.
• Other European markets license operators under their own laws, outside EU rules: for example Serbia, Montenegro and Georgia.

The distinction matters because eligibility rules often refer specifically to EU companies, EEA companies or other permitted foreign applicants. A European presence does not create a common gambling passport. Fees change too: the UK Gambling Commission raised most operating license fees by 25% from 1 October 2026, which is why this page links to current regulator schedules instead of repeating fixed amounts.

Why is there no EU-wide gambling license?

Gambling regulation remains a national competence. EU law sets broader principles on freedom of establishment, freedom to provide services and non-discrimination (Articles 49 and 56 TFEU), but it provides no cross-border authorization that replaces national licenses. Member states may run private licensing systems, monopolies or product-specific restrictions, provided their measures are consistent with those principles.

An operator serving players in Romania, Sweden and the Netherlands must therefore assess each market separately, including tax, advertising, identity verification and responsible gambling. An MGA or ONJN license is not automatically sufficient in another member state. The right strategy starts with the intended player markets, not with the most attractive company formation package.

Romania: ONJN Class I and Class II licensing

Romania regulates gambling under Government Emergency Ordinance (GEO) 77/2009 and its implementing rules, supervised by the National Gambling Office (ONJN).

• Class I licenses cover operators that organize gambling and contract directly with players. Online operators also need an annual operating authorization.
• Class II licenses cover the B2B activities defined in the law, issued per activity: for example game production, platform and distribution services, payment processing, testing and affiliate services.

A supplier that never accepts a bet can still need authorization, but only for the activities the law lists. Reporting obligations also differ by activity, with additional technical duties for specific supplier categories. In 2026, operators should model license and authorization costs, guarantees, technical systems, responsible gambling and AML procedures; fiscal changes in 2025 raised several gambling-specific charges. Foreign groups must check whether a Romanian company, a permanent establishment or an EU/EEA entity with a local representative is the right applicant. See our Romanian ONJN Class I and Class II licenses guide.

Malta: established EU gaming licensing

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) distinguishes between B2C Gaming Service and B2B Critical Gaming Supply licenses. Operators and covered suppliers must meet the suitability, technical and compliance conditions for their activity. Malta suits businesses that want an established regulator and international supplier relationships, but an MGA license does not override local licensing elsewhere in Europe. A project should weigh the exact product, corporate substance, key persons, tax, compliance cost and payment-provider requirements; a software supplier may need a different approval from the casino that uses its software. See Malta Gaming Authority licensing.

Germany: a regulated market with product restrictions

Germany's framework rests on the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021), with the Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) as the national regulator. The GGL issues separate permits for virtual slots, online poker and sports betting to companies seated in the EU or EEA, with no application window; online table games such as roulette and blackjack are licensed by the federal states, and only Schleswig-Holstein licenses private operators. Operators connect to the LUGAS deposit-limit system (€1,000 a month across operators) and the OASIS self-exclusion register, pay a 5.3% tax on stakes, and may not pay affiliates by revenue share. A virtual-slots permit is not permission to offer every casino product; check the GGL whitelist before advertising or supplying services. See our Germany online gambling license guide.

Netherlands: KSA remote gambling licensing

The Remote Gambling Act opened the Dutch online market in October 2021 under the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA). Operators need a Dutch license to serve Dutch players; a license in another member state does not qualify them. Requirements on player protection, advertising, identity verification and operational controls are detailed, so applicants should assess suitability, product scope and technical systems first. Gambling tax is 37.8% of gross gaming revenue from 2026, and the first follow-up licenses run from October 2026 to September 2031. See our Netherlands online gambling license guide.

Sweden: commercial gaming and software licenses

Under the Swedish Gambling Act, Spelinspektionen licenses commercial online gaming and betting. Sweden also licenses gambling software supplied to licensed operators, a requirement in force since 2023, so older guidance that calls it a proposal is out of date. Suppliers must work out whether their service counts as gambling software; ordinary marketing services are a different category. Sweden is both a consumer market and a supply-chain licensing market. Gambling tax is 22% of gross gaming revenue, bonuses are limited to a player’s first occasion and, since 1 May 2026, licensees may not accept credit-funded gambling. See our Sweden online gambling license guide.

Denmark: mature licensing with strong safeguards

Denmark has licensed commercial online gambling since 2012 under Spillemyndigheden. Private operators can be licensed for online casino and betting, while some lottery services remain exclusive. Obligations cover player protection, identification, AML, marketing and technical requirements. A license from Malta or elsewhere does not replace the Danish authorization needed to target Danish players. Gambling duty is 28% of gross gaming revenue, B2B suppliers of casino games and bet processing have needed a license since 2025, and a bill re-tabled in October 2026 would ban betting ads around live sport from 2027. See our Denmark online gambling license guide.

Spain: general and singular licenses, granted by call

Spain's Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) licenses online gambling under Law 13/2011 in two layers: a general license per segment (betting, contests or other games), valid for 10 years, and singular licenses for each game type. General licenses are only granted in calls opened by ministerial order; the last call closed in December 2018 and none is open in 2026, while a reform of the law is under consultation. Entry today usually means acquiring a licensee. Advertising is restricted by RD 958/2020, and joint deposit limits across all operators apply from 25 March 2027. See our Spain online gambling license guide.

Italy: ADM concessions and the advertising ban

Italy licenses remote gambling through concessions awarded by tender by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) under Legislative Decree 41/2024. The 2025 tender awarded 52 nine-year concessions to 46 operators, live since 13 November 2025; each concession allows one brand on one .it website, and a group may hold at most five. No new tender is open, so entry in 2026 means acquiring or partnering with a concessionaire, or supplying ADM-certified products as a B2B provider. The 2018 Dignity Decree bans gambling advertising, a major constraint for brands and affiliates. A foreign license is never a basis for acquiring Italian players. See our Italy online gambling concession guide.

France: betting and poker, but no online casino

The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) licenses online sports betting, online horse-race betting and online poker; lotteries sit under exclusive rights. Conventional online casino games, including slots, are not authorized. A sportsbook or poker business can have a French licensing route; an online slots casino cannot. “Online gambling is legal in France” is therefore a misleading summary for investors. Since 1 July 2025 online sports betting carries total levies of about 59.3% of GGR, and from 1 January 2027 every online player must be able to set loss limits. See our France online gambling license guide.

Portugal, Greece, Estonia and the Czech Republic

• Portugal: the SRIJ issues separate three-year licenses for sports betting, horse-race betting, games of chance and bingo to EU/EEA companies with a Portuguese branch and a .pt website; the IEJO is 8% of stakes on betting and 25% of GGR on casino. See our Portugal online gambling license guide.
• Greece: the Hellenic Gaming Commission issues seven-year Type 1 licenses for online betting and Type 2 licenses for casino and poker, taxed at 35% of GGR; suppliers need a suitability license, and Law 5313/2026 toughened sanctions on unlicensed gambling. See our Greece online gambling license guide.
• Estonia: the Tax and Customs Board (EMTA) issues an activity license and operating permits to Estonian companies with gambling as their sole activity. The remote gambling tax is 5.5% of GGR in 2026, falling to 4% by 2029, and since 2026 stakes must arrive through EEA-licensed payment institutions. See our Estonia online gambling license guide.
• Czech Republic: the Ministry of Finance issues a basic licence per game type, for up to six years, to EU/EEA corporations with at least CZK 50 million in equity; gambling tax is 35% of GGR on technical games and lotteries and 30% on other games. See our Czech Republic online gambling license guide.

Holding a license in another EU country does not shortcut any of these.

Bulgaria: gambling licensing and the 2026 affiliate regime

Bulgaria licenses online casino and betting through the Gambling Office of the National Revenue Agency (NRA). Since 1 August 2026, affiliates promoting gambling operators in Bulgaria also need an approval or license from the NRA, and affiliates based abroad must appoint an authorized representative in Bulgaria. Unlicensed affiliates face website blocking and payment blocking. An operator license and a promotion license serve different functions, so affiliates should check whether their activity falls in the new category and whether the operators they promote are licensed. See Bulgaria gambling license requirements.

Cyprus and Poland: betting access is not casino access

Cyprus licenses private online sports betting through the National Betting Authority's Class B license; online casino is prohibited. A sportsbook license there does not cover casino games. See the Cyprus Class B betting license.

Poland licenses private sports betting, but online casino is a state monopoly. Distinguish the two products before deciding whether Poland is open to you. See Polish sports betting licensing.

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia

• Austria: sports betting is licensed by the provinces, while casino and lottery are under exclusive rights; the monopoly has produced extensive litigation over foreign operators.
• Belgium: online A+, B+ and F1+ licenses are tied to land-based casino, gaming hall and betting licenses, with an 11% online tax, a minimum age of 21, a €200 weekly deposit limit and bans on most advertising and on bonuses. See our Belgium online gambling license guide.
• Croatia: there is no stand-alone online license. The Ministry of Finance approves online casino and betting only for Croatian companies holding a land-based right from a Government tender, and the 2025 amendments banned most gambling advertising. See our Croatia online gambling guide.
• Hungary: remote betting has been open since 2023 to EEA operators with five years of licensed history, HUF 1 billion capital and a server in Hungary, while online casino stays with the land-based casino concession holders; the 2026 government is reviewing the state operator, the concessions and the regulator. See our Hungary online gambling license guide.
• Slovakia: the ÚRHH issues online casino and betting licenses to EU/EEA companies with EU or OECD owners, while number lotteries stay with TIPOS; the levy on online games rose from 27% to 30% in 2026. See our Slovakia online gambling license guide.

Each of these needs a feasibility assessment before company formation or supplier contracts.

Finland: Europe's biggest licensing transition, July 2027

Finland's Gambling Act (10/2026) replaces the Veikkaus monopoly with competitive licensing for specified products (Finnish Ministry of the Interior):

• License applications to the National Police Board opened on 1 March 2026.
• The monopoly stays in place until the end of June 2027; licensed operations start on 1 July 2027, when the Finnish Supervisory Agency takes over licensing and supervision.
• Betting, online casino, online slots and online money bingo enter the competitive market.
• Lottery-type games, scratch cards and physical slot machine and casino games stay with Veikkaus.
• A gambling software license is introduced: applications from 1 July 2027, and from 1 July 2028 licensed operators may only use software from licensed suppliers.

Can private operators start in Finland in 2026? No. Applying is not permission to operate: private operators may not offer or market gambling to Finnish players before 1 July 2027. The first licenses were confirmed in October 2026 (Hippos ATG follows Wildz). Use the remaining months for licensing documents, technology, compliance procedures and partnerships, and keep the submission date, approval and lawful launch separate in your plan.

Ireland: implementing a new regulatory framework

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 created the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) and a new licensing, enforcement, advertising and consumer protection regime. Licensing is rolling out in phases: remote betting licenses come first, with the first licenses issued from 1 July 2026, and gaming and B2B licensing follow later. Older statements that Irish online gaming is unregulated should not be reused; check GRAI's current guidance for the procedures open to your activity.

What about B2B suppliers in EU markets?

B2B licensing is not harmonized. Game studios, platforms, payment businesses and affiliate networks face different obligations depending on the country and the service.

A statement that every supplier needs an identical “EU B2B license” would be wrong, and an existing Maltese or Romanian supplier license does not replace approvals required elsewhere. Read more in B2B iGaming licensing across Europe, and see our gambling compliance and AML support.

How should an operator choose its European markets?

• Product eligibility: are the exact games or betting products legal?
• Corporate structure: can your current company apply, or is a local entity or representative required?
• Licensing cost: initial charges, annual fees, guarantees and contributions.
• Taxation: gambling taxes plus corporate and indirect taxes.
• Technical requirements: certification, local hosting, reporting, geolocation.
• Payments: can regulated banking and processing be set up?
• Advertising: may you use affiliates, sponsorship or paid media?
• Player protection: age checks, deposit limits, self-exclusion and AML.
• Timing: when can you apply, and when can you legally launch?
• Expansion: which further country licenses will you need?

There is rarely one jurisdiction that is best for every business. A group targeting several regulated markets usually needs multiple local licenses, separate corporate arrangements and one coordinated compliance program.

A practical European market-entry roadmap

1. Define the product: sports betting, online casino, poker, lottery, bingo or B2B services.
2. Select target markets: separate markets open now from restricted products and future openings such as Finland.
3. Verify eligibility: corporate, ownership and management conditions for each license.
4. Build the financial model: statutory charges, tax, guarantees, staff, banking, technology and compliance.
5. Coordinate applications: complete documents, certifications and local representation where required.
6. Launch lawfully: submitting an application is not permission to operate.

Keep one compliance matrix covering every country, legal entity, approved product and website. We set this up as part of our licensing, company formation and payments work.

How iGaming Express can help

Since 2014, iGaming Express has helped gambling businesses with licensing, corporate structuring and international market entry: gambling licenses, company formation, banking, payment processing, corporate representation and compliance. For operators, we identify target markets and the right structure before any application. For technology providers and affiliates, we map the supplier and marketing obligations that apply to their activities. Request a European market-entry assessment, or compare gambling licensing jurisdictions first.

Frequently asked questions about EU gambling licensing

Regulatory sources and further reading

• Finnish Ministry of the Interior: Reform of the gambling system (opens in a new tab)
• Borenius: Finland's Gambling Act reform, a practical guide (May 2026) (opens in a new tab)
• UK Government: Gambling Commission fees from 1 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
• Gambling.com: Bulgaria introduces license and tax rules for affiliates (opens in a new tab)
• Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (opens in a new tab)
• Malta Gaming Authority (opens in a new tab)
• Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) (opens in a new tab)
• Kansspelautoriteit (Netherlands) (opens in a new tab)
• Spelinspektionen (Sweden) (opens in a new tab)
• Spillemyndigheden (Denmark) (opens in a new tab)
• Autorité Nationale des Jeux (France) (opens in a new tab)
• National Gambling Office (ONJN), Romania (opens in a new tab)

Regulatory snapshot: 16 October 2026. This guide is a comparative overview, not a legal opinion on each jurisdiction. License categories, fees, start dates and product permissions must be verified before applying or launching.