Tax authorities to crackdown on illegal betting

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Although some forms of betting are legal in Poland the investigations concern people using online betting platforms that are not registered in Poland, a crime which under Polish law could result in a fine or even a jail sentence.

Michał Szadokierski, spokesperson for the Szczecin Tax Chambers, said in an interview with Polish Radio that “Every player was aware that he or she was playing illegally because when registering on a foreign portal they would have had to accept the terms and conditions.”

“The Polish versions of these portals are only for Poles living abroad. Players have to accept the fact that if they are playing on Polish territory then this is an illegal activity. The accused will not only have to give back their winnings and pay the legal costs, but they will also be potentially subject to a high fine and imprisonment.”

He added that players found guilty of fiscal crimes could be punished by imprisonment of up to three years.

However Paweł Rabantek, from the STS betting firm, commented that the treasury “should not punish consumers, who often do not know that they are breaking the law, but should go after the firms which operate in Poland without authorization.”

According to a report by the Roland Berger consultancy illegal betting portals account for 90% of Polish online betting activity. (sl)

source: IAR