In 2026, Polish authorities began advancing a stricter approach to tackling the promotion of unlicensed gambling services. The focus is not on players themselves, but on those who direct users to illegal operators. The new measures target bloggers, streamers, niche website owners, advertising agencies and various media platforms.

Analysts at Rolling Slots have closely examined the situation, as the changes affect virtually the entire Polish online gambling market. For licensed companies, this could become one of the most significant regulatory developments in recent years.

According to Poland’s Ministry of Finance, the legal gambling market continues to grow. At the same time, authorities are seeking to reduce the share of operators that function outside the Polish regulatory framework. As a result, gambling regulation has become one of the industry's key priorities in 2026.

For players, the changes are expected to be relatively neutral. Licensed casinos and bookmakers will continue operating as usual. The primary changes concern the information channels through which users discover new brands and special offers.
In practice, the advertising restrictions are designed to redirect traffic towards companies operating within the licensed market. For the broader gambling industry, this means a gradual increase in the importance of licensing, compliance and transparency in advertising activities.

What Will Change for Streamers, Bloggers and Affiliate Websites
Poland’s affiliate market may become one of the main areas affected by the transformation. Many affiliate marketing models have traditionally relied on attracting users through reviews, streams and entertainment-focused content.

The new requirements will force advertisers to scrutinise traffic sources more carefully. This is especially relevant to the streamer promotion segment, which has experienced rapid growth over recent years through Twitch, YouTube and other video platforms.

The reforms will also affect influencer marketing. Brands are likely to conduct more extensive legal reviews of advertising campaigns and place greater emphasis on ensuring materials comply with compliance policy requirements.

For large companies, customer acquisition will not come to a halt, but it is expected to become more expensive. Some marketing budgets will be redirected towards SEO, mobile applications, sports sponsorships and content marketing.

What May Change for Affiliates

● more legal and compliance checks;
● fewer questionable advertising practices;
● increased demand for licensed projects;
● stronger oversight of promotional materials;
● higher compliance-related costs;
● growth of long-term partnership programs.

How the New Rules Will Affect Polish Players
For most players, the impact will be less noticeable than it will be for the advertising sector. Nevertheless, changes will become apparent when searching for new casinos, bonuses and special offers.

Where many users previously discovered gambling websites through streamers or promotional content, search engines, casino rankings and independent reviews are expected to play a much greater role. This is gradually changing the customer journey from initial brand discovery to registration.

At the same time, player protection continues to strengthen. Regulators are seeking to create a more transparent gambling environment and reduce the likelihood of users interacting with unlicensed operators.

Player verification is also becoming increasingly important. Identity checks have become standard practice across most regulated European jurisdictions. In some cases, verification takes only a few minutes; in others, several hours. Regardless of timing, the process helps improve account security and financial transaction safety.

Consumer protection measures are also advancing. Players now receive more information about bonus rules, wagering requirements and withdrawal conditions, enabling them to make more informed decisions when choosing operators.

Against the backdrop of the new regulations, many users are likely to compare offers more carefully, including promotions such as the Rolling Slots bonus and similar programs from licensed brands. Increasingly, transparency of terms and conditions is becoming more important than the size of the bonus itself.

According to EGBA, a significant proportion of European operators already use advanced customer identification systems. In some countries, more than 90% of accounts are verified, contributing to faster payment processing and stronger user protection.

Changes in player activity are also notable. In countries with mature regulatory frameworks, players tend to use licensed websites more frequently, while repeat visits to legal operators remain high due to confidence in regulatory oversight.Why Part of the Market May Shift to Other Promotional Channels

Restrictions rarely reduce overall interest in gambling. Instead, they tend to change how brands communicate with users.

As a result, many companies are increasing investment in digital marketing. This channel allows businesses to attract audiences without relying on direct advertising while maintaining control over performance and return on investment.

The online casino market may see particularly strong growth in search marketing. Brand visibility through quality content, analytical resources and expert reviews is becoming increasingly important.

Companies holding a valid gambling licence gain additional advantages. Every major legal operator can build search visibility far more safely than through questionable advertising tactics.

Who Will Benefit from the New Restrictions and Who Will Lose Revenue
Experience from other European countries shows that reforms of this kind almost always lead to market redistribution. The primary beneficiaries tend to be licensed operators that already comply with legal requirements.

For major gaming operators, the new conditions create additional growth opportunities. As the number of illegal competitors declines, legal companies gain access to a larger share of high-quality traffic.

At the same time, market consolidation is expected to accelerate. Smaller operators face rising legal and compliance costs, which may result in mergers or exits from the market.

Government revenue could also benefit. Growth in the licensed sector generally leads to higher gambling tax receipts. Similar trends have been observed in several European countries following regulatory reforms.

For users, security remains a key consideration. Many modern operators implement additional protection measures during the Rolling Slots login process and similar authentication procedures. This reduces the risk of unauthorised account access and helps identify suspicious activity more quickly.

According to H2 Gambling Capital, in some regulated European jurisdictions the share of the licensed market increased by 5–20% over several years following reform. Exact figures vary, but the overall trend remains consistent.

Companies providing AML solutions, KYC verification services and financial transaction monitoring tools may also benefit significantly from the changes.

What the Experience of Other European Countries Shows
Poland is following a path already taken by several European countries. As a result, many potential outcomes can be anticipated in advance.

In the Netherlands, advertising restrictions significantly increased the importance of responsible gaming. Operators became more proactive in using behavioural monitoring tools and self-control mechanisms.

Germany placed additional emphasis on regulatory compliance and financial oversight. Payment monitoring became increasingly important, leading to greater transparency in financial transactions.

Belgium and several other countries expanded the use of risk management systems. These tools help identify suspicious activity and maintain high levels of regulatory compliance.

Experience also shows that offshore operators do not disappear entirely. However, their influence typically declines as the licensed sector grows and public confidence in legal brands increases.

What the Market May Look Like in 1–3 Years
Over the coming years, the Polish market is likely to continue moving towards stricter regulation and a stronger role for licensed operators. Competition will increasingly focus on service quality, withdrawal speeds, game selection and brand reliability rather than advertising volume.

Independent analysis is expected to become more important for players. Users will increasingly consult a Rolling Slots review and other expert resources before registering. Reputation is likely to become one of the most important factors when choosing a casino.

At the same time, genuine user experiences will gain additional value. This is why Rolling Slots testimonials and similar review formats may attract more attention from audiences than traditional advertising campaigns.

The evolution of online gambling across Europe demonstrates that regulators are gradually shifting from targeting individual operators to overseeing the entire digital ecosystem. This includes payments, advertising, customer identification and personal data protection.

For Poland, the period between 2027 and 2029 may become a time of significant strengthening for the legal sector. Additional influence will come from traffic analysis technologies, automated monitoring systems and new approaches to gambling advertising.

The strongest market positions are likely to belong to companies capable of adapting quickly to new requirements, maintaining high security standards and offering transparent gaming conditions. For users, this means a clearer and more trustworthy market where brand reliability becomes more important than advertising spend.

The model currently being developed in Poland has already proven effective in several European countries. As a result, the likelihood of continued growth within the regulated sector remains high.