Professional Sports bodies and federations of the Republic of Slovakia have been warned to ensure that “sports have no connection with unlicensed gambling”.

The command comes from Libuša Baranová, issuing her first address as Director General of ÚRHH, the Gambling Regulation Office of Slovakia.

“Combating illegal gambling operators, protecting consumers and vulnerable groups, and ensuring a fair and regulated gambling market are our absolute priorities.”

Baranová took charge of the ÚRHH in October, a regulatory agency that has witnessed three leadership changes this year and is tasked with bringing stability to the governance of gambling licences.

In her first address, Baranová remarked that Slovak sports leagues had become a “high-visibility resource” for unlicensed operators seeking to exploit Slovakia and neighbouring nations.

“They can even strategically leverage the partnership to support market development and build brand awareness abroad, or when targeting new consumers.”

The ÚRHH demands that Slovak sports associations and federations address these liabilities head-on by eliminating “the trade name or logo of any foreign gambling operator that does not hold an individual licence in Slovakia”.

Sports associations must therefore conduct a sweep of unlicensed partnerships across related leagues, clubs and venues.

Baranová warned that under the Slovak Gambling Act, sports leagues are liable for fines of up to €250,000 for allowing non-compliant sponsorships/partnerships — a penalty the new Director General says she has no hesitation in triggering.

“Under the Gambling Act, operating a gambling game or promoting a gambling game for which no licence has been granted or issued is prohibited. 

“I urge all sports federations and associations to thoroughly verify their marketing partners from the gambling sector. This will help them avoid the risk of breaking the law and facing high financial penalties.”

Slovakia’s top sports leagues are backed by major gaming sponsors, with the national football and basketball competitions carrying the branding of Niké – the national lottery operator – while the country’s ExtraLiga ice hockey league operates under the Tiposport banner.

President intervenes on gambling reforms 

The URHH’s  intervention lands at a moment of significant upheaval for Slovakian gambling. 2025 has been marked by political sensitivities and regulatory tension, due to attempts to overhaul the Gambling Act and exert new centralised controls on gambling licences.

Last month, President Peter Pellegrini vetoed sweeping amendments to the Gambling Act, returning the bill to the National Council.

The President refused reforms championed by Sports and Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak, who sought to centralise gambling oversight, bolster state-owned lottery operator Tipos, and give the government wider powers to manage casino licences and market safeguards.

While Huliak tied the reforms to consumer protection and projected more than €100m in new state revenues for civic projects. Pellegrini stood against  changes as unconstitutional with Slovak legislation on “regional autonomy”. Overriding political demands,  Pellegrini refused to allow conditions that could  potentially force municipalities to allow casinos against the will of local voters.

“The sovereign holder of power in Slovakia is the citizen,” the President warned, insisting that the legislation failed to guarantee that local referendums and municipal decisions would be respected.”

Former URHH Director General Martin Bohoš left office warning lawmakers to launch the first full review of the Gambling Act since 2019, citing mounting evidence that Slovak players are rapidly shifting online, favouring high-risk slots and casino-style games that the current framework is unsatisfactory for.

The dispute has exposed clear fault lines between the presidency and the governing cabinet, adding further complexity to an already unstable regulatory environment that saw the Gambling Office cycle through three Directors General in one year.

Concluding her first address as a new Director General, Baranová’s signals a decisive shift in tone at the ÚRHH, with the new leadership preparing to enforce gambling rules far more rigorously across all stakeholders. 

All indications suggest that Slovakia is set to follow its Central European neighbours in 2026 by tightening regulatory controls and strengthening consumer safeguards.