The Sejm of Poland has received a bill to end “Patostreaming”, which includes articles citing that the promotion of online gambling by influences should be treated as a criminal offence.

Patostreaming is recognised as a new term to categorise criminal offences related to the broadcasting of online violence, abuse and sexually degrading content.

In its review, the Sejm must consider changes to the Penal Code to authorise the bill introducing new conditions on online abuse and the streaming of gambling content.

KO support

The bill carries the backing of ministers of Poland’s new Civic Coalition (KO) government, formed in late 2025 by the union of the Citizens Platform (PO), Modern (Nowoczesna) and the Polish Initiative (iPL).

Supporters call for clearer enforcement powers to treat the online broadcasting of serious criminal acts as a punishable offence, aligning digital conduct with crimes already sanctioned offline.

If adopted, the legislation would introduce prison sentences ranging from three months to five years for individuals who publicly share real or staged content depicting serious criminal acts via online platforms.

The same penalty range would also apply to influencers found to be illegally promoting online gambling activity that remains heavily restricted under Poland’s state-controlled gambling regime.

KO ministers have framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to strengthen online protections for Polish youth, citing rising exposure to violent digital content and illegal gambling promotions across social media platforms.

In its legislative review, the Sejm is expected to place particular emphasis on child and adolescent safeguards, with parliamentary committees examining how criminal provisions can be used to curb harmful online environments that attract minors.

Providing a legal assessment to SBC News of the proposed reforms, Dr Justyna Grusza-Głębicka, a specialist in Polish gambling and digital law, noted that the draft introduces a significant expansion of criminal liability into the online content sphere.

She explained: “The proposed new Article 255b would criminalise the public dissemination of audiovisual content that depicts, praises or simulates the commission of criminal offences — including fiscal offences related to illegal gambling via online platforms and streaming services.

“In practice, this means that streamers, influencers and potentially even the platforms themselves could face criminal liability for promoting or normalising illegal gambling activity, particularly where such content is accessible to minors. 

“This reflects a noticeable shift in approach — from administrative and regulatory enforcement towards the use of criminal law instruments, which raises important questions about proportionality and legal certainty.”

Bigger picture on Youth Protections

The Penal Code initiative sees Polish politics continue to focus on youth-focused regulatory protections. At the close of 2025, the Sejm received a separate bill proposing new legal interpretations for gaming transactions and loot box mechanics involving minors, with amendments seeking to classify in-game loot boxes as a form of gambling activity.

The loot box decree calls on Poland to introduce the strictest controls on in-game purchases in Europe, including enhanced age-verification requirements, spending limits and individual authorisation of loot boxes for specific games.

Beyond gaming, Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has also confirmed it will join other EU states in reviewing social media regulations for teenage users/audiences, including consideration of an outright ban on under-16s – a measure that carries favourability in France and Greece.

Blowback effect

 Dr Grusza-Głębicka beelives that Polish ministers are responding “to enforcement challenges in a borderless digital environment”. As a result, legislators are increasingly targeting the wider digital ecosystem advertisers, content creators and promoters rather than organisers alone.

However, she cautions that without precise legal definitions, the reforms could have a blowback effect on legitimate online marketing practices, and make it more difficult to promote legal operators.

“There is no doubt that concrete steps must be taken to tighten the legal framework and to effectively prevent minors and other vulnerable groups from being drawn into illegal online gambling.

“If adopted in its current form, the draft may have a chilling effect on legitimate content creators and could blur the line between illegal gambling promotion and the marketing activities of lawful, licensed operators, especially in a digital and cross-border context.”