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Gambling in Slovenia has been legal since 1991. The first explicit casino regulation came into place in 1995. The current piece of legislation governing the gambling industry is the 2012 Law on Gambling.
The tiny European country with a population of only 2.1 million has been quite liberal when it comes to land-based gambling. However, things are not merely the same in terms of online casino betting.
Until 2016, the only Internet gambling formats allowed by Slovenian law were the online lottery, online bingo, and online sports betting. What is more, the already tiny market was governed by a monopoly. The Slovenian National Lottery, owned jointly by the state government and non-profit organizations, was the sole proprietor of the online lottery. Sportna Loterija, a division of the National Lottery, held a monopoly over online sports betting.
In 2016, the first and only online casino appeared, operated by Casino Portorož d.d. However, other private companies are not allowed to acquire online gambling licenses at present.
This severe legislative framework made Slovenia the European Union country with the most out-of-date jurisdiction. The EU persisted in its attempts to convince the local authorities to relax the gambling laws. There is a new Gambling Act pending, which we will tell you more about below.
It may come as a total surprise to you, but in early 2022, Slovenia was ranked the most crypto-friendly nation in the world according to several reputable surveys. Research showed that in 2021, the country had more physical locations accepting cryptocurrencies than the United States. This is an astounding accomplishment for the tiny country, whose population is barely 2.1 million people.
At present, you can use well over 50 digital coins to pay in cafes, restaurants, hair salons, hotels, and even health care providers. Crypto-accepting establishments are over 1,000, most of which are concentrated in the capital Ljubljana. The latter has been frequently named over the years as the most crypto-friendly tourist destination across the world.
Another interesting fact to note is that in 2019, Slovenia was the only country in the world where one’s survival was possible solely on cryptocurrencies. This information comes to show how open the country is towards crypto.
In terms of state legislation, Slovenia does not regard digital assets as legal yet. However, the country has taken several steps to ensure greater transparency in the crypto market. For instance, it applies anti-money laundering measures, and cryptocurrency exchanges follow the same rules as traditional financial institutions.
Slovenia was once part of Yugoslavia – a communist conglomerate state consisting of several smaller republics. Interestingly enough, during that time, gambling was allowed in Slovenia only for foreign visitors. Land-based casinos existed, but local citizens were banned from entering them. The idea behind this restriction was that gambling did not comply with “Communist morality.”
Once the Communist regime fell, and Yugoslavia disbanded, casinos became legal for local citizens, too. However, Slovenians traditionally are not very keen on land-based gambling. Therefore, brick-and-mortar establishments have remained popular primarily among tourists, the vast majority of whom are Italians.
Since 1991, the country took steps to legalize and regulate the gambling industry but at a very slow pace. The first significant regulatory measures were incorporated in 1995. For almost two decades, developments continued to be implemented, which led to the introduction of the 2016 Gambling Act.
The new piece of legislation did modernize the industry to a certain extent. It legalized some forms of online gambling like the Internet lottery, bingo, and sports betting. However, it still lagged behind the European Union legislation, so a lot of advocacy took place until the introduction of the new Slovenian Draft Gambling Act in 2021.
The new Slovenian Draft Gambling Act is still pending approval in parliament as of 2022. If passed, it will have two major positive effects on the online casino industry in the country. On one hand, Slovenia’s legal framework concerning gambling will finally become compliant with the EU regulations. This will, in turn, lead to greater market liberalization.
On the other hand, the state will then be able to legally fine unlicensed online gambling operators. In fact, it does so already, banning unregulated offshore gambling sites. However, such measures are paradoxically illegal under the current Slovenian casino regulation.
As we said, Slovenians prefer to play online casino games rather than visit land-based establishments. Despite the monopoly and the limited availability of domestic gambling sites, locals can still play at offshore online casinos.
When doing so, they mostly indulge in online slots. These simplistic games of chance are popular among players worldwide, and Slovenians make no exception. They prefer slots because the machines are easy and affordable to play as well as very entertaining. Online slot games come in a wide variety of themes, which also appeal to gamblers.
Slovenian players also like card games like poker and blackjack. Roulette is also very popular. The locals enjoy playing these games both as RNG-automated versions and as live casino products. Thanks to offshore betting sites, they can play multiple variations of live casino games and enjoy great payouts as well as attractive bonus offers.
Online sports betting is another favorite gambling activity for Slovenian players. The most popular sport is football, followed by tennis and basketball. Video bingo and online lotteries are also much enjoyed in Slovenia. The latter tendency is mostly because, for years, these were among the few gambling games available to play over the Internet.
As already mentioned, the lack of domestic online casino choices has not prevented Slovenian players from enjoying Internet gambling games via offshore sites. Therefore, local gamblers have been able to receive all sorts of casino bonuses.
Naturally, Slovenians prefer no deposit bonuses as well as wager-free bonuses. These are not easy to find even at the best online gambling sites, but they do exist. That is why you have to be persistent when searching. Besides, many great promotions with fair and generous terms can be found at the top casinos. Another way to win more rewards is to join the loyalty programs for regular players.
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