The European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) maintains pressure on the European Commission (EC) to intervene in Croatia’s overhaul of its gambling laws.

The Brussels-based trade body argues that the HDZ government has violated the TRIS Directive (EU Law 2015/1535) by failing to notify the Commission of key amendments to Croatia’s Gambling Act before said changes were adopted. 

Following pleas for a consultation with HDZ, EUROMAT is forced to notify the EC’s Directorate-General for internal market disputes to open a TRIS infringement procedure against the HDZ to suspend the implementation of the contested measures until a full review is carried out.

Under EU law, member states are required to submit draft technical regulations that could affect the single market to the Commission for review, allowing other countries and stakeholders to assess potential trade barriers or market distortions.

In a statement, EUROMAT warned that Croatia’s non-compliance with the directive undermines the transparency process that underpins the EU’s internal market.

“This is not simply a domestic reform — it directly impacts the operation of cross-border suppliers and service providers,” the federation noted. “Failure to notify such changes breaches EU principles and prevents the industry from contributing to a fair and informed consultation process.”

Agreed by Parliament, the HDZ governance anticipates implementing the full reforms of a new Gambling Act to take full effect in early 2026. Forthcoming reforms include sweeping restrictions on gambling advertising, new ID verification rules, the creation of a national self-exclusion register, and a tiered taxation model on player winnings.

While the government defends the legislation as a necessary step to address gambling-related harm, industry representatives argue that the process lacks due consultation and may create uncertainty for licensed operators and EU-based technology suppliers.

Both the Croatian Association of Gambling Operators (HUBPS) and EUROMAT have previously warned that Croatia’s reforms could jeopardise up to 15,000 jobs, disproportionately affecting small and mid-sized operators already burdened by rising licence fees and tighter compliance costs.

The trade bodies have also criticised the government’s near-total ban on gambling advertising, arguing that the restrictions will push marketing into unregulated digital spaces, echoing Italy’s experience, where stringent ad bans fuelled the growth of black-market activity.

In addition, EUROMAT contends that Croatia’s failure to notify the Commission under the TRIS Directive constitutes a breach of EU transparency and competition rules, risking regulatory fragmentation within the single market.

Despite industry warnings, PM Andrej Plenković maintains that the Gambling Act overhaul is a key pledge of his third term in office, acknowledging that the government must take responsibility for protecting more than 40,000 Croats suffering from gambling-related disorders.

He further cited data showing that 73% of Croatian high school students have gambled, with 13% already exhibiting harmful behaviour, describing the reforms as a “moral and social imperative” for his administration.

EUROMAT confirmed that it has formally notified the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Internal Market (DG GROW), urging it to open a TRIS infringement procedure against Croatia and to suspend the implementation of the contested measures until a full review is carried out.

The dispute adds to growing scrutiny over how EU member states are implementing national gambling reforms — particularly in relation to transparency, proportionality, and market access — as Brussels faces mounting pressure to ensure greater policy consistency across the bloc.

“Member states have the right to regulate gambling, but they must do so in line with EU law,” EUROMAT stated. “Croatia’s actions set a dangerous precedent if allowed to stand unchallenged.”