As online gambling is becoming more widespread in Europe and beyond, many countries are strengthening industry regulations. The UK is one of the first states to integrate laws that cover different aspects of the sector’s operations, and the government continues to improve the legal landscape.
Poland doesn’t boast such an advanced approach, but the country is now working to create a framework to prevent illegal activities and encourage residents to interact only with official operators. The two jurisdictions have different regulatory landscapes, but 2026 is shaped by improvements in consumer protection and compliance in both the UK and Poland.
A closer look at the Polish gambling sector and future amendments
Poland has one of the most restrictive iGaming industries in Europe. The Polish Act of Gambling, released in 2009, is the main document regulating the sector. It implies that legal market players should operate under the state’s monopoly and need to obtain local licensing. However, this framework still has gaps, allowing residents to join offshore casinos such as LollySpins without penalties. This creates challenges regarding consumer protection and transparency, which the Polish government strives to address in 2026.
Pressure on grey market and ongoing updates
State authorities now focus on reducing the impact of foreign online casinos that still target Polish players. The main strategies that the government implemented in 2026 include platform blocking and payment restrictions. Transactions made on non-licensed sites are considered illegal, and processors breaking the law fall under state fines.
Blacklisting casinos is an efficient measure, but some gambling operators still manage to get around the ban. Polish authorities now strengthen pressure on European governments, encouraging them to integrate stricter policies across the Union and prevent illegal financial operations on offshore platforms.
Eliminating gambling-related influencer promotions
The latest amendments in Poland also touch on influencers and affiliate platforms. Many online casinos operating in the grey area actively promote their services using these means. Authorities consider social networks and messengers as an additional contribution to advertising illegal gambling and aim to address this challenge in the upcoming years. New regulations may include bans on casino ads on specific platforms and stricter penalties for influencers who promote non-Polish sites.
Classification reforms and advanced verification
Underage engagement in online gambling is one of the major industry’s concerns. As legal online casinos implement strong identity checks, some offshore operators may lack compliance with KYC policies. Classification issues are also being addressed: the Polish government aims to update the classification of various forms of entertainment. The latest proposal involves adding loot boxes in video gaming as gambling. Such rules will encourage operators and game developers to initiate stronger verification measures to increase the sustainability of iGaming.
United Kingdom: An advanced approach to gambling regulations
In the UK, many forms of online gambling are legal, but strongly regulated by local authorities. The UKGC, the main licensing authority, now focuses on improving the existing protection measures and increasing user awareness of the negative consequences of uncontrolled casino play. The country has been among the first to implement a nationwide self-exclusion tool. This step significantly reduced the number of residents suffering from compulsive gambling problems. The UK is taking this approach further by adding advanced measures.
Strengthened licensing requirements
The UK is actively fighting overseas casinos, encouraging British players to join platforms registered in the jurisdiction. The latest amendments include higher licensing standards for local operators. New applicants and current certification holders will be forced to comply with new rules. These include enhanced checks, updated documentation, and precise reporting to the UKGC. Such updates ensure that the licensing regime remains strong in the quickly developing digital sector.
Financial checks for British players
Coping with potential gambling-related issues remains the main goal for the UK’s authorities. The country has already integrated a mandatory self-exclusion tool, and now, it is enhancing user verification. Recently integrated affordability checks imply that players should upload their statements, after which the online casino adjusts their deposit and bet limits. This law is necessary to ensure that users stay in control of their spending and don’t gamble with the funds intended for essentials.
Bet limits on online slots
This law came into force in 2026, and authorities are still evaluating its efficiency. The new regulation claims that the maximum bet limit for users under 25 is £2, and older individuals can increase their stakes by up to £5. Preventing gambling addiction among younger players is a part of the broader reform. The UK aims to balance the accessibility of online casinos for all players but promote a healthy approach to this pastime.
Conclusion: Major changes ahead
In 2026, the UK and Poland are advancing their approaches to regulating online gambling in different ways. Poland aims to decrease the impact of the grey market by prohibiting illegal influencer promotions and cutting unverified payment channels. On its side, the UK has a more powerful industry framework that it consistently improves. This year, the country added new licensing standards for local operators and focused on affordability checks to decrease the potential harmful impact of online casinos.
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