A lot of European countries embrace online gambling. It is popular amongst football fans, lottery players and casino players. These countries have very progressive online gambling laws, which is amazing. European countries where online gambling is legal include Germany, France. Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and Denmark. On this review we focus on Hungary.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Hungary?
Online gambling in Hungary has been legal since 2013. However, the country has very strict rules on gambling which has been a source of conflict with the EU. The strict laws seek to deter tax evading foreign companies from saturating the market. Online casino in Hungary whether land based or foreign must have the following local licences,
- Casino licence
- Online Casino licence
Additionally, online casinos and foreign companies must also have land-based operations This is difficult as the number capped at 11, is already filled up. Apart from that, most local companies don't welcome partnerships with offshore companies. Despite the efforts to block foreign casino, Hungarian players still find access to play at certified foreign online casinos.
History of Gambling in Hungary.
Hungarians have not had any restrictions to gamble since 1991, when the Gambling Act was implemented. Ever since then land-based gambling activities have been regulated by the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary. Online gambling on the hand became legal in 2013 after lengthy negotiations with foreign companies and Eu officials.
The first casino opened in 2017 by LVC Diamond Kft, a Hungarian company. Vegas.hu was second and then followed by Grandcasino, which is a partnership with a foreign gambling company. In the case of lottery, online lottery, horse racing and online sports betting, they are all controlled by state-owned company, Szerencsejáték Zrt.
Gambling Tax in Hungary.
For most gaming lovers it all fun and profit until the tax issue is raised. Fortunately, Hungarian players don't have to pay taxes from their winnings on land-based or online casinos that are legally licensed. In the case of foreign casinos, players have to pay their taxes. This is often not followed up unless the amounts are large.
- Players from licenced casinos will not taxed.
The tax burden falls on the casino and depends on the companies annual turnover. A company with an annual turnover of 10 billion Hungarian forints pays taxes amounting to 30% of the annual turnover. For companies that make more than 10 billion Hungarian Forints, the tax is 30% annual turnover plus 10% of the amount above 10 billion.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Online Casinos in Hungary.
Selecting the best online casino as Hungarian player requires that you consider the following criterion. The first feature to look at should be security. Go for casino that are licensed by various reputable authorities such as MGA and UKGC. Secondly, consider a casino that features local language and the Hungarian Forint as the preferred currency.
Thirdly, find a casino that offers reliable customer support. A casino with a live chat option is better because it offers an interactive session with staff. Lastly, explore what gaming options they have, A good casino should be diverse, offering slot games, table games and live gaming options. Additionally, the games should be from reputable software providers
The best Online Casino games in Hungary.
Hungarians enjoy a number of varied gaming options. Licenced casinos provide the best classic, modern and megaways slots for slot lovers. For table games there is Blackjack, roulette and baccarat all having various forms to try out. You can also enjoy an interactive session with live dealers from live gaming options. The best games to play include:
- It's a Joker
- Red Lion
- Mysteries of the East.
- Blackjack live 12
- Casino Hold' em
- Lightning roulette
Software providers for most of the best games include gaming giants such a Microgaming, PNG, Red Tiger, 1x2 Gaming and Evolution gaming. Most of these games can be played on the browser while some have the mobile casino option. You can place your real money bets or simply enjoy spinning using the free demo version.