Gambling winnings tax increase blocked in Poland. The country’s president sides with players
In Poland, President Karol Nawrocki has rejected a bill that would have increased the tax rate on gambling winnings, keeping it at 10% and blocking a proposal to raise it to 15%.
The measure was part of a broader fiscal package that also included a tightening of the so-called “sugar tax”, both designed as tools to curb a growing public deficit that has already exceeded 240 billion zlotys.
According to Nawrocki, the proposal represented a “purely fiscal intervention”, rather than a measure grounded in principles of fairness or public health protection.
The head of state stated that the government’s true objective was to shift the cost of the deficit onto citizens by choosing the easiest route: targeting mass consumption—such as sugary drinks—and popular sectors like gambling.
Nawrocki Takes the Side of the Public
The decision to halt the higher tax on gambling winnings comes at a time when many European countries, including Romania, continue to rely heavily on gambling taxation as a key budgetary tool.
It is well known that during periods of economic pressure—especially when public finances are strained—the gambling industry is often among the first sectors targeted for higher taxation.
In Poland, however, attempts to align with this approach by sharply increasing the tax rate to 15% on all gambling winnings ran into firm political resistance from the president, who reiterated his refusal to sign “laws that raise taxes for Polish citizens.”
Implications for the Gambling Sector
The decision temporarily blocks a more aggressive fiscal trajectory for the gambling sector in Poland, offering relief to both players and operators.
This stance also reinforces Poland’s distinct approach compared with other European markets that have pursued heavier taxation, even as regulated gambling—including platforms often compared internationally with the top online casinos 2026—continues to grow under close regulatory scrutiny.
For now, the existing tax framework remains in place, delaying any immediate shift toward higher fiscal pressure on gambling activity in the country.
