| Updated: October 31, 2025Located in Central Europe, Hungary has been a member of the EU since 2004. For decades, however, the nation was under Soviet rule, during which all forms of gambling were illegal. The dissolution of the Soviet Union marked a turning point for Hungary’s gambling industry. In 1991, the country officially regulated land-based gambling and sports betting, becoming one of the first former Soviet nations to regulate the industry.
The only issue, however, was that Hungary established a state monopoly on all forms of casino gaming, sports betting, and lotteries. From 1991 to 2011, the Hungarian gambling market was subject to a monopoly held by the state-owned company Szerencsejáték Zrt (Games of Chance cPLC).
In 2014, the country liberalized its online casino market and introduced strict licensing conditions. In February 2022, Hungary’s Parliament passed new gambling legislation to end the state-run sports betting monopoly. As of January 1, 2023, foreign operators within the EEA can apply for Hungarian licenses.
Best Sports Betting Sites in Hungary
In the past, Hungary went to great lengths to block bettors from accessing unlicensed betting sites. However, the country began to change its stance after the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2022, Hungarian legislators, under pressure from the European Union, decided to open the online sports betting market to private operators. At the time of writing, a wide range of reputable online sportsbooks accepts bettors from Hungary.
Best Sports Betting Bonuses in Hungary
According to Hungarian gambling law, offshore operators must obtain a license from the Gambling Authority to legally accept sports fans from the country. Hungary opened its sports betting market at the beginning of 2023, yet there are still no licensed betting sites. However, many offshore sportsbooks accept Hungarian bettors and offer them generous promotions.
Match Deposit Bonus Free Bets Risk-Free Bets Important Bonus TermsMatch Deposit Bonus
A common sports betting promotion is the match-deposit bonus. It is usually available to newcomers, but many bookmakers also reward existing bettors with reload bonuses that come in the form of match-deposit offers. If you claim such a bonus, the sportsbook will match your deposit. Note that match deposit bonuses usually have a cap. For example, if a sportsbook offers a match deposit bonus of 100% up to $100 and you deposit $20, you will receive an additional $20 in bonus funds.
Free Bets
A free bet bonus is a small amount of money that online sportsbooks typically offer to newcomers. Although punters cannot withdraw free bet credits, they can use them to place a wager without risking their own funds. If the bet wins, you will collect the profit; if it loses, your real-money balance will remain unchanged.
Risk-Free Bets
Many sportsbooks targeting the Hungarian market also offer risk-free bets. As the name suggests, this bonus eliminates any risk associated with wagering on sports. If you place a bet on a given event and lose, the sportsbook will refund your wager up to a specified amount.
Important Bonus Terms
All sports betting promotions come with terms and conditions. Punters must meet these terms before they can cash out any profits. Most bookmakers apply wagering requirements to the bonuses they offer. Sports fans must wager the bonus funds a specific number of times to convert the bonus balance into cash. Sometimes the cumulative deposit and bonus amount is subject to the playthrough requirement.
In addition, sports fans must comply with minimum odds restrictions when they claim a bonus. Sports betting bonuses have an expiry date. Note that you may need to make a qualifying deposit to claim a bonus.
Betting Regulation in Hungary
For many years, Hungary was under Soviet rule. Gambling was outlawed in the USSR, which created a huge underground gambling market run by illegal groups. The Soviet Union fell in 1991, and in the same year Hungary introduced Act XXXIV, legalizing gambling and sports betting. However, the government decided to establish a state monopoly on all forms of gambling and sports betting. According to this legislation, only a state-run enterprise can offer gambling services to Hungarians. Szerencsejáték Zrt was given exclusive rights to provide gambling services in Hungary.
In 2004, Hungary joined the European Union, leading many international gambling and betting companies to believe the country would open its market to foreign operators. That was not the case. Hungary even fined Sportingbet for operating a site in the country. Because the government could not block all gambling and sports betting sites, in 2006 Hungary appealed to all national banks to stop processing gambling-related transactions.
Hungary Opens Its Online Casino Market Hungary to End Sports Betting Monopoly Licensing Conditions and Important RestrictionsHungary Opens Its Online Casino Market
For several years the EU pressured Hungary to open its gambling market. In 2014, the country finally introduced new laws allowing foreign casino operators to enter the market. However, strict licensing conditions and steep fees were imposed to curb the influx of foreign operators.
For example, operators had to pay a licensing fee of $440,000, and the Hungarian Gambling Authority was responsible for awarding licenses. Additionally, the new gambling law imposed a cap on the number of land-based casinos. The law stipulated that online casinos had to join forces with any of the 11 land-based casinos in the country to be eligible for a license. Although the high licensing fee was not a problem for high-revenue betting companies, many operators ultimately decided not to enter the Hungarian market due to unfavorable licensing conditions.
Hungary to End Sports Betting Monopoly
Although the country allowed foreign casino operators to enter the market, online sports betting remained under the state-run Szerencsejáték Zrt monopoly. However, Hungary’s sports betting monopoly was not compliant with the European Union’s free-trade laws. In 2017, Kindred appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), arguing that Hungary failed to establish fair conditions for foreign operators. Unsurprisingly, the CJEU ruled in favor of Kindred.
Under pressure from the European Union, the Hungarian Parliament adopted new online gambling legislation in February 2022 to end the state monopoly. The new rules took effect on 1 January 2023, allowing sports betting companies within the European Economic Area (EEA) to obtain local licenses and operate on Hungarian soil.
Licensing Conditions and Important Restrictions
Under the new proposal, foreign operators within the EEA can apply for licenses and operate in Hungary. At the time of writing, there is no cap on the number of licenses that can be issued. In addition, punters will be able to make deposits using credit cards linked to an authorized payment service provider.
Operators that have offered gambling services in Europe without a license in the past ten years are not eligible for a Hungarian license. The new legislation also stipulates that operators who want to receive permission to operate in Hungary must have a share capital of HUF1 billion and pay a licensing fee of HUF600 million.
Hungarians who wish to wager on sports must be at least 18 years old. At the time of writing, sports fans from Hungary do not have to pay taxes on gambling winnings. However, betting companies must pay 15% of their net gambling revenue. The authority responsible for monitoring Hungary’s online sports betting market is the Supervisory Authority of Regulatory Affairs (SARA).