Croatia fails to notify EUROMAT of gambling legislation changes

The Republic of Croatia has ran afoul of the European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) by not making the body aware of possible legislation changes.

Any member state of the European Commission must make the gambling regulator aware of any updates to a nation’s independent stance on gambling law. This prompted EUROMAT to release a stark statement titled, “Croatia Must Respect European Law.”

Readwrite reported that the Republic of Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was seeking urgent changes to the existing safeguards in place.

The changes to the legislation, known as the Croatian Gambling Act (PZ_42), were referenced by lawmakers as the “final proposals to the law” on gaming in the Baltic nation.

They include bans on advertising in public spaces, changes to the layers of identification needed for account creation, and taxation’s pivotal part in gambling throughout the country.

EUROMAT has been firm in its note to the European Commission, saying that the regulator is “concerned that the Croatian Government is proceeding with its legislative process without any notification.”

President of the EU regulator Jason Frost said: ”If the Commission is serious about strengthening the Internal Market, then it has to ensure that Member States respect the law.”

HUPIS (Croatian Association of Gambling Operators) has been equally concerned with the way changes will impact the job market across the nation.

Earlier this month (April 1, 2025) we reported that thousands of jobs could be impacted by the incoming changes. HUPIS noted that 8,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect roles could be affected.

“Companies need legal certainty to invest and operate in Europe, and if the Commission allows Member States to disregard their responsibilities, then it sets a very concerning precedent,” President Frost concluded.

Retail gambling in Croatia would also feel the brunt of the new legislation, with 70% of physical stores facing possible closures as a result.

Filip Jelavic, General Secretary of the Croatian Gaming Association, said: “It is inconceivable that any European Member State could be allowed to introduce such far-reaching and disruptive legal changes without following the correct procedure.”

Image: Pexels.

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