Poland Proposes 15% Tax on Gambling Winnings from January 2026
Poland’s Ministry of Finance has tabled a change to the Personal Income Tax Act that would increase the withholding tax on gambling winnings from 10% to 15%.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The measure is set to take effect in January 2026 if approved. The amendment is broad in scope, covering lottery prizes, sports betting, casino wins and promotional awards. It would also extend to winnings realized by Polish taxpayers on foreign and EU-based gambling platforms.
Officials describe the adjustment as an overdue modernization: the current 10% rate was established in 2001 and, according to the government, no longer reflects the size or structure of today’s market. A spokesperson for MPs in the Sejm framed the change as part of a wider effort to align tax rules with current market dynamics and to support what they call a behavioral-taxation approach aimed at discouraging excessive gambling while bolstering public revenue.
The draft forms part of a larger package of amendments to Poland’s tax code and is expected to be finalized later this year after parliamentary debate and consultations with stakeholders.
Related: Poland Takes Lead in EU Fight Against Illegal Gambling
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Operators, legal advisers and market analysts have warned that the increase could have unintended consequences. Industry voices say higher player-level taxation risks making licensed Polish offerings less competitive against unlicensed or offshore alternatives – the very channels regulators have sought to curb in recent years.
“A higher levy on winners may incentivize customers to seek out foreign platforms where taxation is less transparent or enforcement is weaker”, said a Warsaw-based gaming lawyer. Analysts point to past instances where tax rises at the player or operator level led to a contraction in the legal market rather than increased state receipts.
Poland already carries heavy tax burdens on the supply side. Current operator obligations include a 12% tax on total stakes for sports betting and a 50% tax on net revenue from slot machines and table games. At present, licensed operators withhold the 10% tax on winnings. Under the proposed 15% rate, a cash prize of PLN 10,000 would deliver PLN 8,500 to the winner rather than the PLN 9,000 received under current rules.
Smaller prizes under roughly EUR 520 are currently exempt from taxation; the draft suggests those thresholds may also be revisited, which could affect Polish players using licensed EU or EEA sites if exemptions are narrowed or removed.
There are practical and legal questions around enforcing a tax on foreign-sourced wins. Effective collection would likely depend on cooperation with overseas operators, data-sharing arrangements and the capacity of Poland’s tax administration, Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS), to identify and process cross-border payouts. Any widening of extraterritorial reach could prompt scrutiny from EU institutions if it raises concerns about the free movement of services or discriminatory treatment.
Supporters argue the change will generate additional revenue and form part of a policy mix to reduce gambling harm. Opponents counter that it risks driving players into grey markets, weakening regulated operators and undermining long-term regulatory goals.
The legislative timetable allows for amendments before a final vote, so industry groups, consumer advocates and EU stakeholders may still influence the final shape of the rules. The debate in Warsaw will center on whether Poland can find a balance between fiscal objectives and maintaining a competitive, regulated gambling market.
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