Poland Considers Up to 5 Years in Prison for Promoting Illegal Gambling

In 2026, Poland began discussing one of the toughest gambling regulation initiatives seen in recent years. The proposal involves the introduction of criminal liability for promoting unlicensed gambling operators. In some cases, penalties could reach up to five years of imprisonment. This approach marks a significant departure from previous practices, which primarily focused on blocking websites and restricting financial transactions.

The situation has been closely analysed by specialists at Rolling Slots Casino, as the proposed changes could affect virtually every advertising channel within the gambling industry. The new measures target not only the owners of illegal casinos but also bloggers, streamers, webmasters, Telegram channel operators and advertising agencies.

Polish authorities have spent many years attempting to increase the share of the regulated gambling sector. According to industry analysts, despite thousands of domains being blocked over recent years, part of the audience continued to find illegal operators through social media advertising and affiliate networks. For this reason, the focus is gradually shifting from fighting websites themselves to targeting traffic sources.

The new initiative is directly linked to the development of gambling compliance. Regulators believe that the advertising infrastructure has become one of the key pillars supporting the grey market. As long as users continue to encounter advertising for unlicensed brands, website blocking measures can only deliver limited results.

A particularly important factor has been the rise of influencer marketing. Over the past five years, the influence of individual streamers and bloggers on casino choice has grown to the point where some promotional campaigns have attracted audiences comparable to those of major media outlets.

For the entire gaming industry, this could become a turning point. If fully implemented, Poland would join the ranks of European countries with the strictest approach to promoting unlicensed gambling services.

Table: Key Details of the Initiative

Parameter	Value
Country	Poland
Year of Discussion	2026
Maximum Penalty	Up to 5 years
Main Focus of Regulation	Advertising of illegal gambling
Affected Parties	Bloggers, streamers, websites, agencies
Primary Objective	Reduction of illegal traffic
Main Enforcement Tool	Criminal liability
Regulatory Priority	Protection of the licensed market

Why Influencers Have Become One of the Main Targets of Regulation

The structure of gambling advertising has changed dramatically in recent years. While banner networks and niche websites dominated in the early 2010s, by the mid-2020s a significant proportion of traffic was being generated through content creators on social media platforms.

Modern content creators can attract tens of thousands of users with a single video or livestream. For gambling companies, this proved to be an extremely effective promotional tool. As a result, regulators have increasingly turned their attention to this segment.

Additional pressure came from advertising restrictions introduced in various European countries. As regulations tightened, operators increasingly turned to bloggers and influencers as alternative marketing channels.

For many creators, affiliate revenue became one of their primary sources of income. Some affiliate programs paid commissions not only for player registrations but also for player activity over extended periods.

The social media traffic segment experienced particularly rapid growth. In some marketing studies, the share of users acquired through YouTube, Twitch and Telegram accounted for several dozen per cent of all new registrations.

This is precisely why the new advertising policy could significantly reshape the influencer market in Poland. Companies will be required to conduct more thorough reviews of promotional partnerships, while bloggers will need to verify the legal status of the brands they advertise.

Table: Potential Impact on Promotional Channels

Area	Potential Change
YouTube	Increased scrutiny of sponsored integrations
Twitch	Stricter moderation requirements
Telegram	Greater oversight of advertising
Affiliate websites	Additional compliance checks
Advertising agencies	Rising legal costs
Streaming platforms	Tougher content standards

How the Player Journey to a Casino May Change After the Reform

For players in Poland, the effects of the reform may not be immediately obvious. However, the way users discover new operators and bonus offers is likely to change gradually.

Previously, a user could watch a blogger’s promotion, click an affiliate link and complete registration within minutes. Following tighter regulation, this pathway is expected to become far less common. Search engines, operator rankings and independent reviews are likely to become the primary sources of information.

This directly affects player safety. The more time users spend evaluating terms and conditions, the greater the likelihood that they will choose a reliable operator. As a result, the influence of random advertising decreases, while informed decision-making becomes more important.

Consumer trust is also expected to strengthen. Players are increasingly comparing licences, withdrawal methods, operator track records and bonus conditions before making a choice.

This shift is already influencing how promotional offers are perceived. For example, promotions such as the Rolling Slots bonus are increasingly evaluated based on wagering transparency and fairness rather than simply the size of the bonus package.

Another important area is player verification. Most European operators continue to introduce additional identity verification procedures. This improves security standards and helps resolve disputes more efficiently.

According to the EGBA, the licensed sector remains dominant across most regulated European markets. One of the key reasons is the high level of trust associated with licensed operators.

The status of a legal casino also plays a growing role. For many users, holding a licence has become a mandatory requirement when selecting an operator. The Polish market is gradually moving in the same direction.

Table: Casino Selection Before and After the Reform

Stage of Casino Selection	Before the Reform	After the Reform
Source of Information	Advertising	Reviews and search results
Licence Verification	Rare	Significantly more common
Bonus Evaluation	Superficial	More detailed
Verification Process	After registration	Earlier in the process
Brand Selection	Based on advertising	Based on reputation
Security	Dependent on the operator	More standardised

Who Will Fill the Advertising Gap?

Whenever one promotional channel becomes less accessible, the market quickly adapts by finding alternatives. As a result, a large share of marketing budgets is expected to remain within the industry.

One of the main beneficiaries is likely to be digital acquisition through search engines. SEO has shown consistent growth across many European jurisdictions following the introduction of advertising restrictions.

Additional opportunities will emerge for ranking websites, news portals and specialised gambling media. These platforms increasingly act as intermediaries between players and operators.

Brand reputation also becomes more important. The higher the level of trust associated with a resource or operator, the easier it becomes to attract users without relying on aggressive advertising.

For companies holding an operator licence, this environment often creates advantages. Every regulated operator gains the opportunity to compete based on service quality rather than advertising expenditure alone.

Marketing channels connected to mobile applications, sports sponsorships and content marketing are also expected to continue growing.

Who Will Benefit from the New Rules and Who Will Lose Revenue

Licensed operators are among the most obvious beneficiaries of the proposed reforms. Limiting the promotion of illegal brands helps expand the regulated sector and strengthens the position of companies that comply with legal requirements.

The licensed segment of Poland’s gambling market could also experience additional growth. Similar developments have previously been observed in Germany and the Netherlands, where the market share of regulated operators gradually increased following regulatory reforms.

Customer acquisition through proprietary channels is becoming increasingly important. Companies that invested early in SEO and brand recognition are likely to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Demand for compliance monitoring solutions is also expected to rise considerably. Operators must monitor traffic sources, affiliate activities and advertising compliance more carefully than ever before.

For players, one positive consequence is increased market transparency. The market becomes easier to understand, and the origins of advertising content become clearer.

Many operators are also strengthening account security measures. Modern protection mechanisms are frequently implemented during the Rolling Slots login process and similar authentication procedures. This helps identify suspicious activity more quickly and reduces the risk of fraud.

According to estimates from H2 Gambling Capital, following major reforms the share of the licensed sector in some European countries increased by 5–20% over several years. Poland could experience similar dynamics.

The primary losers may be bloggers and affiliate projects that relied heavily on partnerships with unlicensed brands. Their business models may require significant restructuring.

Table: Potential Winners and Losers

Market Participant	Potential Outcome
Licensed casinos	Increased market share
SEO companies	Higher demand
Legal consultants	More business opportunities
AML/KYC providers	Market expansion
Unlicensed brands	Reduced visibility
Grey-market affiliate projects	Loss of revenue
Players	More transparent environment

What Will Happen to the Grey and Offshore Segments of the Market?

The history of gambling regulation in Europe shows that illegal markets rarely disappear completely. However, advertising restrictions can significantly reduce their public visibility.

The strongest impact is typically felt within affiliate traffic channels. When promotional integrations become legally risky, acquiring new users becomes both more difficult and more expensive.

In several countries, reforms led to audience migration from the unlicensed sector towards licensed operators. Players continued gambling, but increasingly chose companies operating under local regulations.

The quality of the legal framework is especially important. The clearer the market rules are, the easier it becomes for companies to develop licensed gambling products and compete with offshore brands.

Completely removing offshore gambling from the information landscape is difficult. However, experience from the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium demonstrates that consistent regulation can gradually strengthen the position of the legal sector.

What the Polish Market Could Look Like by 2028–2029

If the current direction continues, the Polish gambling market is likely to become significantly more transparent. Competition will increasingly revolve around product quality, withdrawal reliability, customer service speed and brand reputation.

The role of traditional advertising is expected to decline gradually. Expert content, independent rankings and analytical resources will become much more influential. This is why a Rolling Slots review and similar formats may become one of the most important sources of information for players.

The importance of genuine user experience is also expected to increase. As regulation becomes stricter, many players will place greater value on customer feedback. For this reason, Rolling Slots testimonials and similar forms of user-generated content may have a significant impact on consumer decisions.

The development of online gaming across Europe demonstrates that monitoring technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Automated analysis of advertising campaigns, traffic verification systems and affiliate network monitoring are already widely used by leading regulators.

Responsible gambling will also play a greater role. Self-control tools, deposit limits and behavioural monitoring systems are gradually becoming essential components of regulated markets.

For Poland, the period leading up to 2029 could mark the final consolidation of the licensed sector. Under such a scenario, operators, players and the government all stand to benefit. Operators gain clearer rules, players enjoy a safer gambling environment, and the state benefits from greater transparency and increased tax revenues.