In Hungary, online casinos are technically licensed and regulated by the government. Until 2013, there was a state monopoly on online casinos, with only Szerencsjáték Zrt legally permitted to accept bets from punters. The government then imposed exorbitant licensing fees to discourage competition while appearing to liberalise the industry.
Fortunately, the EU regulators have called out this malpractice, effectively paving the way for today’s situation where players can legally and safely join foreign-based online casinos. In 2022, new legislation was proposed that would bring non-Hungarian online casinos under the authorities’ jurisdiction.