Croatia online gambling: approvals for land-based operators
An EU market where online casino and betting are open only to Croatian companies that already run casinos or betting shops. The 2025 amendments raised fees, banned most gambling advertising and created a national self-exclusion register, so new entrants usually come in by acquisition or partnership.
- Best for
- Groups entering through a Croatian land-based operator
- Who can be licensed
- Land-based casino and betting operators in Croatia
- Markets it serves
- EU regulated markets
Croatia has no stand-alone online gambling license. Under the Games of Chance Act, online casino and betting are an add-on approval from the Ministry of Finance for Croatian companies that already hold a land-based right granted by the Government after a public tender, for 15 years. An online casino needs at least one casino open in Croatia; online betting needs at least 100 employees and 50 betting points. Foreign licenses are not recognized and unlicensed sites are blocked. Since the 2025 amendments, gambling advertising is banned from 06:00 to 23:00, and a national self-exclusion register applies from 2026.
- Status
- Land-based holders only
- Regulator
- Ministry of Finance
- Legal basis
- Games of Chance Act
- Status checked
- October 16, 2026
How online gambling is licensed in Croatia
The Government grants 15-year rights to organize gambling after a public tender. The Ministry of Finance then approves online play for holders of a casino or betting right.
Online casino
Approval for a casino right holder that keeps at least one casino open in Croatia, connected live to the Ministry’s system.
Online betting
Approval for a betting right holder with at least 100 employees and 50 betting points open at all times.
Lottery and bingo
Reserved to the state company Hrvatska Lutrija; online sales need Ministry approval.
Foreign licenses
MGA, Curaçao and other licenses are not recognized. Organizing gambling from abroad for Croatian players is banned and the sites are blocked.
How foreign groups enter Croatia
With no stand-alone online license, the realistic routes run through the land-based market.
Acquire a right holder
Buy a Croatian company that holds a casino or betting right and online approval. The right itself cannot be transferred, so the deal is a share purchase.
Partner with an operator
Supply platform, games or know-how to an existing Croatian operator, within its approval and certification.
Bid in a tender
Found a Croatian company and bid when the Government tenders casino or betting rights, then build the land-based footprint the online approval requires.
Supply as B2B
Systems and games are certified by a Ministry-approved laboratory before use, so suppliers work through licensed operators.
Who can hold a Croatian right
| Requirement | Under the Games of Chance Act |
|---|---|
| Legal form | Trading company with its registered seat in Croatia; a branch of a foreign company is not eligible, but a foreign owner can found the company |
| Share capital | €530,891.23 registered share capital for casino or betting |
| Ownership | Full ownership chain and beneficial owner, with proof of capital and lawful source of funds |
| Exclusions | No bankruptcy or liquidation, no unpaid public dues, no competition-law concerns |
| Guarantees | Bank guarantees from a bank seated in Croatia, including a separate guarantee for online play |
| Term | Rights run 15 years from signing the contract and cannot be transferred |
Technical and payment rules
Certification
The online system and every game are certified by a Ministry-approved laboratory; a certificate counts once the Ministry confirms it.
Live connection
A real-time, tamper-proof connection to the Ministry’s information system; no system changes without prior approval.
Servers
Since NN 129/25 (October 2025) no binding text requires servers in Croatia, but the application must state where the equipment is.
Payments
A special-purpose account at a Croatian bank, and player transactions through an account opened in Croatia. Player funds are split into play and payout balances.
Online slots
Online slot games must behave like physical machines.
Self-exclusion
Connection to the national register of excluded players kept by the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), answering data requests within 24 hours.
How the setup runs
Rights are granted only through Government tenders, and online play is approved on top of a land-based right. Most foreign groups therefore start with an acquisition.
- 1RouteDecide between acquiring a right holder, partnering, or founding a Croatian company to bid in a tender.
- 2Company and capitalCroatian company with the registered share capital, ownership file and source-of-funds evidence.
- 3Tender and rightBid in the public tender; the Government grants the right and the contract is signed within 60 days.
- 4Land-based footprintOpen the casino, or the 100 employees and 50 betting points required for online betting.
- 5Online approvalCertified system and games, live connection to the Ministry, Croatian bank accounts and guarantees, then the Ministry’s online approval.
Ongoing obligations
- Monthly levy on casino results and betting stakes, by the 15th of the following month
- Withholding of winnings tax at payout
- Real-time connection to the Ministry’s information system and certified systems
- National self-exclusion register checks and age verification (18+)
- Advertising rules of the 2025 amendments
- AML/CFT duties as an obliged entity
- Keeping the land-based footprint that the online approval depends on
How gambling is taxed
Casino
A monthly levy of 15% of casino results, due by the 15th of the following month.
Betting
A monthly levy of 5% of total betting stakes.
Players’ winnings
Withheld at payout in bands since 2025: 10% up to €1,500, 15% up to €4,000, 20% up to €70,000 and 30% above.
Corporate tax
10% on profits up to €1 million and 18% above; gambling is exempt from VAT.
The 2025 advertising rules
Among the strictest in the EU since NN 72/25; operators had to comply by 1 January 2026.
Time ban
No gambling ads online, on TV, radio or in electronic publications from 06:00 to 23:00, and none in print. Low-risk lottery games are exempt.
Public spaces
No ads on publicly visible surfaces; venue exteriors must hide tables, machines and betting offers.
Influencers
Famous people and media influencers may not appear in gambling ads; content creators may not promote or live-stream gambling.
Penalties
Fines for companies from €6,630 to €66,360, and the right can be withdrawn for breaching social-responsibility rules.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
May 2025
NN 72/25 raised annual fees, introduced banded winnings tax, banned most advertising and created the national exclusion register.
October 2025
NN 129/25 removed the Croatian-server requirement from the online rulebooks and split player funds into play and payout balances.
January 2026
Betting terminals in bars and restaurants ended; advertising rules fully applied.
EU complaint
In October 2025 EUROMAT complained to the European Commission that the 2025 reform was not notified under the TRIS Directive; the outcome is pending.
Weighing Croatia against other EU markets? Our European gambling license comparison covers all 27 member states: which products each licenses, the regulators, B2B rules and Finland's 2027 opening.
Compare EU marketsFrequently asked questions
Is there an online gambling license in Croatia?
Not a stand-alone one. Online casino and betting are approved by the Ministry of Finance only for Croatian companies that already hold a land-based casino or betting right granted by the Government after a public tender.
Who regulates gambling in Croatia?
The Ministry of Finance, with the Tax Administration’s Games of Chance Service running tenders, approvals, supervision and blocking. Rights are granted by the Government.
Can a foreign company get a Croatian license?
Only through a Croatian company: the right holder must be a trading company seated in Croatia, and a branch of a foreign company is not eligible. A foreign owner can found or buy that company.
What does online betting require?
A betting right plus at least 100 employees and 50 betting points open at all times, a certified system connected to the Ministry, Croatian bank accounts and guarantees.
What does an online casino require?
A casino right with at least one casino open in Croatia and connected live to the Ministry’s system, plus certified online games and the online approval.
Can a Malta-licensed operator serve Croatian players?
No. Foreign licenses are not recognized and organizing gambling for Croatian players from abroad is banned. The Tax Administration orders unlicensed sites blocked within 15 days.
How is gambling taxed in Croatia?
A monthly levy of 15% of casino results and 5% of betting stakes, corporate tax of 10% or 18%, and winnings tax withheld from players at 10% to 30% depending on the amount.
Can gambling be advertised in Croatia?
Only within narrow limits since 2025: no online, TV or radio ads from 06:00 to 23:00, no print or outdoor ads, and no influencers or celebrities.
Do servers have to be in Croatia?
Not since October 2025, when NN 129/25 removed the requirement from the online rulebooks. The application must still state where the equipment is located.
How can a new operator enter Croatia?
Usually by acquiring a Croatian right holder or partnering with one. Founding a company and bidding in a Government tender is possible but requires building the land-based footprint first.
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