MF ČR licence: what it means, how to check it, licensed casinos
The Czech Ministry of Finance licenses online casinos, betting and land-based gambling under the Gambling Act 186/2016 and runs the national exclusion register.
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About the Ministerstvo financí České republiky (Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic)
In the Czech Republic there is no separate gambling authority. The Ministry of Finance, through its department for procedural matters and gambling regulation, issues licences and keeps the register of excluded persons and the list of unlicensed internet games. Customs authorities carry out supervision of operators in the field.
The legal basis is Act No. 186/2016 Coll. on Gambling, which has applied since 2017. It opened the market to companies from the EU and EEA, required full player registration and identity checks, and gave the ministry power to block unlicensed sites. An amendment in force from 1 January 2024 reorganised licensing into an initial licence plus a basic licence for each game type, added live dealer games and allowed licensed online operators to serve players abroad.
For players, a Czech licence means the operator verifies identity, checks the national exclusion register (RVO) and must offer a panic button that blocks play for 48 hours. The RVO has been in full operation since 20 December 2020. It includes people who exclude themselves and people entered automatically, for example those in insolvency or receiving material need benefits.
To check an operator, use the overviews of legal operators (whitelist) on the ministry's gambling pages, and compare with the published list of unlicensed internet games that internet providers must block.
Recent changes
1 January 2024: a broad amendment to the Gambling Act and the Gambling Tax Act split the basic licence into an initial licence and game-type licences, added live dealer games, let licensed online operators serve foreign players, extended blocking to apps, introduced a 48-hour panic button and raised the tax on several game types from 23% to 30% of gross gaming revenue. July 2024: people in arrears on child support began to be added automatically to the RVO.
MF ČR licence facts
| Country | Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Law | Act No. 186/2016 Coll. on Gambling (zákon o hazardních hrách), in force since 2017 and amended with effect from 1 January 2024 |
| Licenses | online casino, online sports betting, live dealer games, lotteries, land-based casinos, gaming halls |
| Licence types | Initial licence (úvodní povolení), with no statutory maximum term since 2024, Basic licence (základní povolení) for a specific game type, Permit to locate a gaming area (povolení k umístění herního prostoru), Notification (ohlášení) for certain smaller games |
| Market | Licenses companies from the Czech Republic and the EU/EEA; since 1 January 2024 licensed online operators may also serve players abroad where local rules allow. |
| Self-exclusion | Rejstřík vyloučených osob (RVO): non-public Ministry of Finance register of people barred from gambling, combining voluntary self-exclusion with automatic entries such as people in insolvency or on material need benefits. |
| Player protection | Registration and identity verification required before play. Operators must check the RVO and refuse listed people, online and in venues. Panic button that blocks gambling for 48 hours. Voluntary self-exclusion can be lifted only after at least one year. Unlicensed websites, apps and payments blocked. |
| Complaints | Complaints and petitions go to the Ministry of Finance through its general complaints channel; customs authorities supervise operators' compliance with the Gambling Act. |
| Licence register | mf.gov.cz/cs/kontrola-a-regulace/hazardni-hry/prehledy-a-statistiky |
| Website | mf.gov.cz/cs/kontrola-a-regulace/hazardni-hry |
MF ČR licence FAQ
How do I check if a casino holds a Czech licence?
Look at the overviews of legal operators (the whitelist) in the gambling section of the Ministry of Finance website. The ministry also publishes a list of unlicensed internet games that must be blocked.
Who regulates gambling in the Czech Republic?
The Ministry of Finance issues licences and runs the exclusion register, while customs authorities supervise operators in practice. There is no separate gambling regulator.
What is the RVO?
The Rejstřík vyloučených osob is a non-public national register of people barred from gambling. Operators must check it and refuse listed people both online and in casinos and gaming halls.
How do I exclude myself from gambling in the Czech Republic?
You can apply to the Ministry of Finance, ask a licensed operator to submit the request, or use the panic button for a 48-hour block. A voluntary entry can only be removed after at least one year.
Can foreign companies get a Czech online casino licence?
Companies incorporated in the Czech Republic or another EU or EEA country can apply. Companies from outside the EU and EEA cannot obtain a Czech licence.
What changed in Czech gambling law in 2024?
From 1 January 2024 licensing was split into an initial licence and game-type licences, live dealer games were added, the panic button was introduced and the tax on several games rose from 23% to 30% of gross gaming revenue.
Other gambling regulators
Researched by Konrad van Daath, checked 7 November 2026. Facts come from public sources (mf.gov.cz, dlapiper.com, arws.cz). Always confirm a licence in the regulator's own register. Gambling is for adults only and can be addictive; play responsibly.
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