POLAND Law and Practice Contributed by: Marek Plota and Anna Klaja-Gogolewska, RM Legal
supporting or infrastructural role, without transferring or sharing the operator’s licensed gambling functions. 6.5 Technical Measures Poland has implemented technical enforcement measures to protect consumers from unlicensed gam- bling operators and to prevent the circumvention of national licensing rules. These measures are primarily established under the Polish Gambling Act, particu- larly Article 15f, which introduced a centralised system for domain and payment blocking. Under this framework, the minister responsible for public finance maintains the register, which lists web- sites offering or promoting gambling services without the required Polish licence or concession. ISPs are legally obliged to block access to all domains entered in the register within 48 hours of their inclusion, effec- tively preventing users in Poland from accessing unli- censed gambling sites. In parallel, payment service providers (PSPs) are required to block transactions between Polish consumers and unlicensed operators whose domains appear in the register. These techni- cal safeguards are complemented by AML/CFT and consumer protection mechanisms. 7. Responsible Gambling (RG), Also Known as Safer Gambling (SG) 7.1 RG Requirements Polish gambling regulation includes responsible gambling measures designed to protect players and mitigate the social harms associated with gambling. Operators must implement a Responsible Gambling Policy that promotes safe play and ensures the pro- tection of minors and vulnerable individuals. This policy must include: • visible information on the gambling operator and its contact details; • the game rules; • a clear statement prohibiting access for persons under 18; • information about the risks associated with gam- bling; and
• details of institutions providing assistance to indi- viduals with gambling problems. The policy must also provide for strict age and identity verification, player registration prior to participation, and mechanisms allowing players to monitor their activity and spending. Operators are further required to implement systems that prevent play once a play- er’s funds are exhausted. Online operators may initially allow participation through a Temporary Account prior to full verification; however, such an account must be suspended after 30 days if the player’s identity has not been confirmed. Once suspended, no further gambling activity or mar- keting communication directed at the holder of the temporary account is permitted. The Responsible Gambling Policy must be approved by the minister competent for public finance before gambling operations commence, and operators are required to ensure ongoing compliance with its provi- sions throughout their activity. 7.2 Gambling Management Tools Operators are required to implement technical and organisational measures that enable effective control over player participation and spending, ensuring that gambling activities are conducted responsibly and transparently. All players must be registered and veri- fied before taking part in any legal gambling activity, whether land-based or online. This system serves to prevent underage participation and ensure compli- ance with anti-money laundering obligations. Online operators must also provide players with tools to set deposit, time and spending limits, allowing them to determine maximum deposit amounts, stake lim- its or session durations. These mechanisms promote self-control and help prevent excessive or impulsive gambling behaviour. Additionally, gambling systems are required to offer self-exclusion options, enabling players to voluntarily block access to gambling for a specified period or permanently. Operators must ensure that minors and self-excluded individuals can- not access the system under any circumstances.
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