Slovakian Casino and Card Room Gaming

Traditional casinos, poker clubs, slot halls and freestanding machines are legal in Slovakia.

The first casinos appeared in the country at the end of the Communist era. Over the next 10 years the widespread economic hardship of post-Communist Slovakia coupled with a sharp tax increase on gaming machines in 1998 caused a drop in gaming machine numbers. Up to that point, slot machines were the most popular type of gaming in the country. The industry appeared to be in trouble when casino revenues reached their lowest point in 2001, generating only SK 270 million in aggregate profits.

Despite a history of decline, the Slovak gaming business has experienced a recovery in recent years. The Gambling Act of 2005 named the Ministry of Finance as the official regulator for the gaming industry and laid out a precise system for tiered taxation based on gaming type and traffic. Clear rules and predictable taxes have encouraged foreign investment and the diversification of gambling products.