The Faculty of Education at the University of Trnava has been enlisted to develop a new programme aimed at raising awareness of gambling risks and harms among the public, institutions and authorities of the Republic of Slovakia.

The project has been launched through a ‘memorandum of cooperation’ agreed by the university and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Slovakia (URHH), with the aim of bringing “professional knowledge and academic training” into Slovakia’s education and government systems to minimise exposure to gambling harms.

The new initiatives will provide the faculty with access to national gambling data, enabling it to develop an educational framework for both lecturers and students. 

The programme will examine key areas including gambling regulation, addiction prevention, the risks posed by digital environments and the emergence of new online gambling formats.

Academic fix

Upon completion, the University of Trnava will publish professional consultations and academic outputs, including final theses, participation in scientific conferences and the joint creation of methodological materials designed to support schools and educational institutions.

Libuša Baranová, Director General of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Slovakia, backed the cooperation, stating: “The topic of gambling, online gaming and digital addictions is increasingly affecting the young generation, which requires a sophisticated and professional approach.”

She added that combining regulatory expertise with academic research would strengthen prevention efforts: “I believe that by combining our expertise with the academic tradition of the Faculty of Education of the University of Trnava, we will create a strong mechanism to protect the most vulnerable and contribute to the formation of future educators as pillars of prevention in our society.”

As of January 2026, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Slovakia formally assumed the role of primary supervisory authority for consumer protection in the gambling sector. At the time, Baranová emphasised that further academic guidance was needed to clear regulatory liabilities. 

The project reflects a broader strategy by the regulator to strengthen gambling protections and oversight as Slovakia’s gambling market continues to shift towards the online space.

Market data published by URHH illustrates the structural transformation of the sector. The authority’s 2025 market report shows that online gambling has now surpassed land-based venues as the dominant segment of the Slovak market, highlighting a significant behavioural shift among players.

Deep divisions in “structural shift“

According to URHH figures, land-based gambling halls and casinos generated €469.3m in player losses in 2025, which was €99.3m less than losses recorded through online gambling platforms, estimated at around €570m.

The land-based segment also experienced a contraction, with total revenues declining to €286.6m, representing a 15.6% year-on-year decrease. The figures indicate that consumer activity is increasingly migrating towards digital formats, particularly through the growth of online casino.

The development has sparked political concern regarding how Slovakia is managing what policymakers describe as a generational shift in gambling behaviour, with debates in the National Council of the Slovak Republic calling for reforms to the 2019 Slovak Gambling Act.

However, only one package of reforms has been presented so far. Rudolf Huliak, Slovakia’s Minister of Sports and Tourism, called on ministers to support a review of gambling licences and tighter regulatory rules. 

However, opponents argued that the proposals would favour the state-owned lottery operator TIPOS. Huliak rejected this argument, stating his changes would improve TIPOS’ tax contribution by more than €100m.

Despite parliamentary review, the proposals were ultimately blocked in December when Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia, declined to sign the amendments, citing concerns that the measures would interfere with competitive safeguards within the gambling market.

Pellegrini stated that the issue remains open and that the government would review broader proposals to improve gambling governance in 2026, though no political party has yet presented a comprehensive reform package.