Poland’s BLIK to Block Payments to Illegal Online Casinos

Polski Standard Płatności, the company behind BLIK, connected its system to the government register through an API. This allows it to check the domain behind each gambling payment.

If the domain appears in the register, BLIK will stop the transaction before authorisation. The block will apply to payments handled by Polish and foreign processors.

Why BLIK Is Introducing the Block

Polish law requires payment providers to stop serving gambling domains in the government register. However, illegal operators can use foreign payment processors to reach customers in Poland.

In June 2025, the Polish Financial Supervision Authority warned payment companies about the risks of serving these operators. BLIK then developed a system-wide solution.

The company admitted that foreign gambling sites generate noticeable payment traffic. It still decided to prioritise compliance with Polish law.

What the Change Means for Players

BLIK will automatically reject payments to listed casinos and betting sites. Players will not need to cancel the transaction themselves.

The block will not affect other BLIK services. Online shopping, phone transfers and ATM withdrawals will continue as usual.

Legal gambling operators can still offer BLIK. In Poland, Totalizator Sportowy runs the only legal online casino. Private bookmakers need a Polish permit to operate online.

A licence from another country does not make an operator legal in Poland.

A Possible Gap in the System

The BLIK check depends on the Ministry of Finance register. A new mirror domain may avoid the automatic block until the ministry identifies and lists it.

This does not guarantee that its payments will succeed. Banks, processors or other compliance controls may still reject the transaction.

European Regulators Tighten Online Gambling Controls

Poland continues to expand its register of illegal gambling domains. It contained more than 55,000 addresses by May 2026. Around 700 new domains enter the register each month.

The Ministry of Finance estimates that the illegal sector accounted for 37.6% of online casino GGR in 2025. This was down from 99.3% in 2018. Industry groups continue to call for private online casino licences. However, the Ministry of Finance supports the current state monopoly. Poland has not approved any wider liberalisation of the online casino market.

Romania has also expanded its controls on unlicensed gambling sites. Its regulator, ONJN, recently blacklisted around 800 domains after using a new tool to identify cloned casino websites.