Online bingo is legal in the Czech Republic under Act No. 186/2016 Coll., commonly referred to as the Czech Gambling Act, which regulates all forms of gambling including online operations (1). Bingo is explicitly defined as a game in which a win is subject to achieving the full prefixed pattern of numbers in the betting ticket, such pattern being marked off by the bettor based on randomly drawn numbers called out in succession (1). The Ministry of Finance serves as the regulatory authority responsible for granting operator licenses, approving gaming equipment, and overseeing compliance with gambling legislation across the country (2).
To operate online gambling including bingo, operators must be legal entities and seek a license from the Ministry of Finance through a rigorous and fully discretionary application process (2). The license is non-transferable with a maximum duration of six years, requiring an application fee of CZK 5,000 and significant deposits of CZK 30 million for online betting and CZK 50 million for casino operations (2). Recent reforms effective January 2024 have made licensing easier for EU-based operators, introducing a simplified two-step process with an initial license and a basic license for specific game types, eliminating the need to repeatedly prove general conditions when applying for additional games (2).
"To operate any kind of gambling, including online casinos, would-be operators must be a legal entity and seek a licence from the Ministry of Finance. The application process is rigorous and fully discretionary — even if you meet all other conditions, you cannot claim to have a legal right to a licence."
The Czech gambling framework requires bingo operators to maintain a prize fund between 40% and 80% of game receipts, with game receipts representing a multiple of the number of sold betting tickets by the selling price per ticket (1). Online gambling operators must implement mandatory player protection measures including self-restricting tools for deposit limits, net loss limits, and time restrictions, along with a new panic button requirement introduced in 2024 that prevents players from placing bets for 48 hours (1)(2). Gambling operators pay taxes at rates of 35% on gross gaming revenue for lotteries and technical games, while other gambling types including bingo are taxed at 30%, with the Ministry maintaining a list of illegal gambling websites that internet service providers must block within 15 days (2).
Source:
https://www.mfcr.cz/assets/cs/media/Zak_2016-186_anglicka-verze-zakona-o-hazardnich-hrach-ACT-No-186-2016-on-gambling.pdf
https://www.igamingtoday.com/czech-republic-igaming-market-research-report/
Last updated: 28-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
