The act of gambling has been popular over the decades. Card games, sports betting, to mention a few existed since time immemorial. Every country in the world has a gambling history. Most people worldwide view gambling as a pastime activity, a career, and a form of entertainment.
Gambling is prevalent in Poland, with laws and regulations changing over the years. The history of gambling is significant for a country. History helps the government to predict the future of gambling. Our expert Klara Czerwińska (view her blog here) details more about the history of gambling culture in Poland.
The rise of casinos
Polish casinos didn’t immediately start off by offering flashy features and bonus bez depozytu 2021. It has been an uphill evolution which started with the first casino in Poland opened in 1920 in Sopot City. Sopot is located on the Baltic Sea in Northern Poland.
Sopot town was the perfect location for a casino, as the sandy beaches at sight attracted many tourists in Poland. The casino offered games such as roulette and blackjack. It also allowed adults only over the age of 18 years.
The growth of tourism in 1927 redesigned the casino into an entire resort that offered accommodation services to guests. By 1930, the resort was already famous and acted as a source of income for many in Sopot city.
In the 1930s, other casinos emerged in Poland but later faced the wrath of the Second World War. The Second World War affected the popularity of casinos, tourism decreased, and income reduced.
Did casinos survive? During the war, Artillery shells from the Red Army wrecked many casinos. As fate has it, The Casino Resort Hotel at Sopot City survived by operating as a field hospital.
After the Second World War was over in 1946, the casino at Sopot City changed its name to Grand Hotel. As time passed, Orbis Casino Group purchased it among the largest casino operators in Poland.
Impact of second world war on casinos
After the Red Army vandalized some casinos, the gambling culture that had sprouted was on the verge of dying, tourists were fewer, and the economic activity in Sopot was affected. When the war ended in 1946, much of East Europe was controlled by the Soviets, including Poland. The state suffered from the strict gambling rules that led to the closure of many casinos in Poland. In addition, the USSR banned gambling activities in its power, such as casinos and sports betting.
However, a shipping company in Poland discovered some loopholes despite the ban and offered casino games such as roulette and blackjack in the ferries. The ferries towards Scandinavia became popular and attracted many tourists. Until 1989, the Soviet ban on gambling ended, and the USSR had begun to grow weak.
The gambling error after the USSR
The Soviets lifted their ban on gambling in 1998 and allowed casinos to operate. It was not long after the ban was lifted when the first land-based casino in Poland opened since World War 2. Pod Roza in Krakow set the pace for the new era in Polish gambling. The casino was launched by Casino Poland LLC on 15th July 1989.
Later, new casinos emerged, with more people interested in gambling. In the 1980s and 1990s, gambling in Poland was in a peak season due to few regulations on casinos. In 1992, the Polish government introduced operational licenses and cities under 250,000 to use one casino.
Major operators include Orbis Casino Group and Olympic Entertainment Group. The rules have changed over time, especially during the online casino era.
The state of online gambling in Poland
The Ministry of Finance regulates gambling in Poland, including all online casino websites. The recently updated gambling laws in 2009 have made it somehow difficult for players to engage with online casino games. It is challenging for Polish gambling operators to launch casino sites in the country.
However, Polish gamblers can access their favorite games through operational international casinos in Poland. There are tips for handling money, responsible gaming, and casino reviews among other resources that make it easier for Poland gamblers to land in reputable casinos.
The competition on Polish online space has led various platforms to offer bonus bez depozytu to attract more players. The casinos offer various modes of payment, making it easier to withdraw their winnings at ease.
We are yet to learn more about the history of online gambling in Poland. Will the Polish government relax online gambling rules soon? Let’s wait and see.