Is Online Poker Legal in Poland?
Poker is a card game under Polish law, and online card games are part of the state monopoly. International poker websites are therefore not allowed to serve players in Poland, and playing on them carries the same penalties as other illegal online gambling.
Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. It can lead to addiction and financial harm. Taking part in illegal online gambling in Poland can lead to a fine equal to your winnings.
Poker in the Gambling Act
The Gambling Act defines card games (gry w karty) as blackjack, poker and baccarat played for money or prizes (art. 2(5a)). Card games are gambling, and organising gambling over the internet is a state monopoly, apart from betting and promotional lotteries (art. 5(1b)).
The Ministry of Finance's list of legal online operators describes the online casino category as covering slot, card, roulette-type and dice games on the internet. It lists one state-owned company for that category. Our guide to whether online casinos are legal in Poland shows the record and how to check it.
International poker websites
Well-known international poker websites hold licences from other countries, but those licences are not valid in Poland. Taking part in online gambling offered without a Polish permit is prohibited (art. 29a(2)), and players can be fined an amount equal to their winnings (art. 89). Playing on a foreign poker website while in Poland can also be a fiscal offence (Fiscal Penal Code, art. 107 §2).
Read about offshore gambling websites and foreign licences and the penalties for players. Many international gambling websites also appear on Poland's register of blocked gambling websites.
In-person poker tournaments are a separate matter
The Gambling Act has separate rules for poker played in person, including tournaments held outside casinos. These must be notified to the tax authorities in advance and follow rules approved by the Ministry of Finance (arts 6a and 14(4)). These rules are about physical events, not online play, and this site does not cover them.
Tax on poker winnings
Winnings from card games, including poker, organised by an authorised operator under the gambling law of an EU or EEA country are exempt from Polish personal income tax (Personal Income Tax Act, art. 21(1)(6a)(b)). The exemption does not make an unlicensed poker website legal. Read our guide to tax on casino winnings in Poland.
- Behavioural addictions helpline 801 889 880 Daily, 17:00–22:00 · Charged at your operator's rate
- Support Centre for adults in mental crisis 800 70 2222 24 hours a day, 7 days a week · Free
In an emergency, call 112. Numbers listed by KCPU and the Ministry of Health, checked . More gambling support in Poland
Sources
- Gambling Act of 19 November 2009 (Ustawa z dnia 19 listopada 2009 r. o grach hazardowych)
- Personal Income Tax Act (Ustawa o podatku dochodowym od osób fizycznych)
- Legal gambling: entities legally offering gambling online (Legalny hazard — Legalne podmioty w Internecie)
- Fiscal Penal Code (Kodeks karny skarbowy)
English explanations are our own translations of Polish law. The official Polish text prevails. How we check our sources.