Szabályazott Tevékenységek Felügyeleti Hatóságahe, a regulator in Hungary (SZTFH), has begun the process of closing down unregistered internet gambling sites. So far, 450 domains have been suspended. These include sites for sports betting, online casinos, and cryptocurrency gambling platforms.
In addition to PokerStars, Parimatch, Playzilla, and Rabona, several sites, including Unibet, BetOnline, and Intertops, have been forced to cease operations entirely.
The latest gambling news reveals that the exercise of barring unregistered operators in Hungary follows an encounter between unregistered operators and the Hungarian authorities. Since 2014, the regulator has been closing down illicit websites. However, it attracted a number of lawsuits throughout the process. All orders to shut down illicit internet gambling sites were lifted in 2017. It was due to the involvement of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
When the government decided to partially open the area for accepting applications from private players in 2023, those who did not obtain certification were once again kept out. In the five years prior to submitting an application, the operator must have held a licence in an EEA country, per the licensing requirements.
As per SZTFH, no outside operators have filed applications for a certification related to online sports wagering and online casino gaming.
However, the decision to ban uncertified online wagering operators has seen bet365 walk off from the scene.
