Czech Republic

Best Online Casinos in the Czech Republic

Following the collapse of communism in 1989, the Czech Republic embraced democracy and joined the European Union on May 1st, 2004.

There is no denying that there is a strong gambling culture in this landlocked country, with residents engaging in gambling activities more than anywhere else in Europe.

Despite this, regulation and laws surrounding gambling in the country have been slow in their response. This is particularly noteworthy with regards to online gambling, which is only getting a proper foothold in the country over the past three years.

Revenue generated from online gambling has fallen well short of what it might have been had proper legislation been in place from 2009. The reality was that five licensed land-based operators were competing against foreign operators that had full access to the market. The foreign operators were not paying tax, not paying for licences and not paying any penalties for failure to follow the laws.

Things changed in 2017. The law now states that operators must have offices in the European Union or their territories to legally operate within the Czech Republic. This has improved things quite a bit for players since a more regulated industry means a safer place to play.

Is Online Gambling Legal in the Czech Republic?

Online gambling is legal in the Czech Republic. The country takes a strong position against illegal operators that fail to meet the licensing and regulatory requirements.

Blacklisting and blocking of ISPs are common in the Czech Republic, which gives gamblers a level of trust in the sites that do operate.

You must be 18 years old or older to gamble legally in the Czech Republic.

How We Review the Top Czech Casinos

Finding casinos that are worth your time and energy is something that we take very seriously here at Gambling Metropolis.

While there are plenty of name operators to choose from, our experience has taught us that consistency across countries is not always a given.

As such, we apply the same testing to each operator, even if we have checked it out before in another country. The reason is that small variances in quality and service can make a big difference. We want our Czech players to benefit from the time and effort we put into rating each provider.

We update the criteria that we use to rate casinos every year because things are changing at a rapid pace.

Safety & Security

We expect that your primary concern when playing at any online casino is safety. We believe that any online platform that fails to achieve 128 Bit SSL encryptions is not worth players’ time. Why? Because this is a security standard that is essential in today’s digital economy.

Our team looks at the efforts made by casinos to assure that their members are safe and protected from data or financial breaches. Hackers have become more skilled at cracking sites, so we’re only going to recommend sites that achieve a consistent standard of safety.

Welcome Bonuses

Online gambling wouldn’t be the same without welcome bonuses. Players love welcome bonuses because it gives them the chance to play for free before they have to dip into their own deposit.

Free spins are common as well as bonuses that match your deposit by anything from 100% – 300% and to varying amounts. But while the welcome bonus is what lures most players in, the value for money that’s provided is the real test of how much entertainment you will get from your investment.

Deposit Methods

Having a choice with regards to how you make deposits is important. We take a look at each casino to determine the number of ways that they allow their players to make deposits. It is unusual to find a site that does not accept Visa and MasterCard.

Yet, e-wallets are very popular, so the casinos that accept a variety of different and reputable brands will score highly. What’s more, mobile payment options, as well as prepaid cards, are growing in popularity, too.

We also take into consideration the time it takes for a deposit to complete because nobody wants to sit on their hands and waste time.

Fast Payout

Fast payouts are also very important. Any casino that takes days to process withdrawal transactions will receive a lot of negative feedback. Players feel valued when a casino facilitates the kind of experience that they hope for.

At Gambling Metropolis, we strive to pinpoint brands that enable you to bank your winnings faster so that you can reap the benefits in the real world.

Mobile Capabilities

Online gaming is going from strength-to-strength since platforms recognised the market demand. Sites should cater to both iPhone and Android users. Alienating one user over another can inspire players to look for an alternative casino that caters to both platforms.

The presence of a mobile platform isn’t necessarily a sign of quality, however. Some casinos need to catch up with those companies that have developed world-class mobile casino apps. Having a huge variety of games to choose from, great graphics and great sound are all important factors on mobile.

Customer Support

The look of an online casino is one thing, but you only get a sense of how much they value their players when you interact with customer support.

Some operators deliver 24/7 support across chat, phone and email, while others are accessible by email during set hours.

If you’re the kind of player that likes a quick response, the latter isn’t going to do a whole lot to improve your experience. Casinos earn brownie points by providing support in the native language of its users too so be sure to check if it’s provided.

Established Game Providers

The greatest welcome bonus in the world will mean very little to you if none of your favourite games are available. Major developers are facing competition to evolve but players always like to see some of their old favourites on offer.

At Gambling Metropolis, we highlight casinos that offer classics from established names. We also list new casinos that are working hard to innovate and bring more developers on board.

Licence and Regulations

You won’t find any blacklisted casino in the Czech Republic on this list! Licensing and adherence to regulation is something that is essential in this industry.

Casinos need to showcase their licences and the more they have from different authorities, the better. In the Czech Republic, we look for those that have acquired licences from the Ministry of Finance.

Playing with Real Money – Can You Deposit Czech Korunas at Czech Online Casinos?

The Czech Koruna is the official currency of the Czech Republic. Even though it is a member state of the European Union, it will not adopt the Euro as its official currency until it satisfies the Euro convergence criteria.

That said, there are plenty of online casinos that accept Czech Korunas. As a member of the EU, all casinos accept Euro payments.

MasterCard and Visa are still the most popular options for casino deposits. In the Czech Republic, e-wallets are also a very popular option. Neteller, PayPal and Skrill are among the most used choices, though ComGate and Payu are also accepted on select sites.

The Czech Republic also uses cryptocurrencies and it is a payment option on some sites.

Which Casino Games are Available in the Czech Republic?

Slot machines have always been the most loved option for gaming in the Czech Republic. At one point there was a ratio of 1 slot machine per 200 people, which says a lot about the love for slots in this country.

The good news is that this demand has carried over to online platforms. International operators offer Czech players a huge collection of fun slots to meet the demand. The only issue players could face is some sites do not hold a licence in the country and those sites get blocked. This is not good news for players so choose your sites wisely.

Sports betting is legal in Czech Republic.

Popular Casinos Accepting Czech Players

Among the most well-known names in the market are Party Casino, Slotty Vegas, 14Red Casino, 777 Casino, CK Casino, and Metal Casino.

It’s always worth checking in with us to see which sites make our list of the best online casinos in Czech Republic. Rest assured that we will update our information regularly, as we expect regulations to change.

Playing Online Casino Games with a Real Live Dealer

The live dealer casino experience is going through a real evolution at the moment. Licensing of pop-cultural properties and familiar sports faces is set to become even more common. This will revolutionise the industry. We already see it happening in the UK.

The growth and popularity of online casino platforms have transcended into the ‘real’ world in the UK. Premier League teams are now sponsored by casino sites. TV advertising is one of the most popular forms of advertising for sites and the market is set to become much bigger.

The live experience has improved remarkably over the past decade and the level of immersion that it has the potential to generate is superb.

Casino Bonuses and Free Spins

There is no doubt that any online gambler checks in on the promotions page each time they log in. Why? Because casinos are competing for your attention and loyalty and promotions come thick and fast in this industry.

The result? Players can snap up bonuses and free spins that can make the experience all the more rewarding.

What is a Bonus Wagering Requirement?

With bonuses, players should expect that there will be a wagering requirement attached. This is usually indicated beneath the bonus amount and represented by ‘10x’ or ‘40x’. This means that there is a requirement to wager the bonus winnings 10 or 40 times before a withdrawal is possible.

Failure to meet the wagering requirements will result in the winnings being forfeited. It sounds harsh but it’s common practice across a lot of sites.

The Casino Market in the Czech Republic

There is a strong demand for gambling and gambling-related activities in the Czech Republic. Signing up to online platforms is simple – all that’s required is an ID and proof of address. Better still, there is no obligation to pay taxes on gambling winnings.

The potential is there for the market to grow, but the presence of high operator taxes (up to 35% on gross revenues) puts foreign casino operators off. What’s more, the licensing fee is set at a lofty €1.8 million.

There’s no doubt that Czech players are accessing sites that do not operate with licences in their country. This means that the state loses out on a much higher rate of revenue collection through its strict and limiting policies.

Online Casinos and Gambling Rules and Regulations in Czech

The Ministry of Finance is the primary institution in charge of granting licences. As mentioned above, the current rules and regulations limit the possibility of the market to truly flourish.

We expect that, within the next decade, further reform will take place to better secure and regulate the market. The end result will be that players can access sites that deliver the kind of entertainment and win possibilities that they want. And they can do that without having to use VPNs to overcome the blocks that are currently in place.