Gambling in the Czech Republic
Last summer, my mates and I went to Prague for a weekend stag party. We expected to drink loads of first-class beer, meet cute Eastern European ladies and have a wonderful time pub crawling… ahem, I mean sight-seeing. However, to our great surprise, there was more to Prague than that. We found this charming city to be a tiny piece of gambler’s heaven.
With about 100 casinos in the capital of Prague alone, there are many opportunities for gambling in the Czech Republic. There are even more sport betting opportunities and there’s a lottery, too. The Czech are very fond of video slots and traditional slot machines. Apart from casinos, those are available in specialized shops around Prague. Take a walk in the Old Town (Staré Město), which surrounds the legendary Astronomical Clock Tower (Orloj), and you’ll be impressed by the number of cafeterias, restaurants, and betting shops. You’ll definitely remember the name Sazka – the biggest lottery operator that is also run by the state – as you’ll be seeing it a lot.
With brick and mortar casinos thriving, making online casinos legal is the next logical step. And the Czech government has recently done just that. As of January 1, 2017, the Czech online gambling market will be opened to EU and EEA online betting operators. That might be a wonderful opportunity especially considering that Prague continually comes up as a top tourist destination not only in Europe but in the world. However, there’s a catch. The new Czech gambling law also defines new tax rates of 35% for RNG casino games and 23% of gross gaming revenue for sports betting and lotteries. If that seems steep, note this – those taxes come on top of the general corporate tax of 19%. The new taxes will be valid for new companies and those already in operation. Will that law turn out a lovely opportunity for saturating the Czech online space with casino games or a major flop? Only time will tell.
Whatever the outcome, do visit beautiful Prague and try your luck at the land-based casinos. Also, don’t forget to check out the Prague Beer Museum. Don’t be put off by the name – it’s not a museum per se, it’s a pub. The original pub can be found in one of the small streets leading up to Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) but there’s also a new second location at the picturesque Peace Square (Náměstí Míru). It’s not that you’ll have any trouble getting great beer in Prague but the Museum is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to try 30 beers on tap from Czech micro-breweries.
If you don’t have time for the Beer Museum, enter any pub (Pivnice) and order a pint of unfiltered, unpasteurised – nefiltrované, nepasterizované pivo.
I’ve given you the names in Czech because, although most Czechs speak very good English, they are reluctant to use it. If you speak German, you’d have a better chance getting your message through. However, speaking a little Czech would be your best bet.
