Surrounded by some of the world’s superpowers, Poland has traditionally struggled to maintain independence while keeping its economy intact. But things changed in the 1990s when this huge country finally regained sovereignty and started building the national economy on a brand-new foundation. This foundation was mainly based on new technologies and digitalization.
That’s the main reason why Poland developed a massive online gaming business. Just by looking at the latest gambling insights from polskiekasynos, it’s easy to see how Polish gaming providers walk the extra mile to indulge all types of users. The best online casinos in the country pair standout bonuses with modern payment channels to grow the base of loyal players. But what’s the overall condition of the gaming industry in Poland? We can describe it by discussing the latest trends, challenges, and market prospects.
Current Landscape of the Gaming Business in Poland
The gaming branch in this country is huge, but it’s not even close to reaching its peak. Polish game developers are still going through the early stages of global success, so we aren’t biased when predicting future successes.
According to a recent report, Poland is already a gaming hub with a market worth well over $1.3 billion. The figure is immense but still in the growing stage, so let’s explore what led to it in the first place by analyzing the trends in this field.
Online gambling is the most important trend
Traditional games are cool and everything, but they don’t have such transformative power compared to their digital counterparts. The same applies to land-based casinos since their online competitors have a much bigger influence these days. How come?
For one, they are easier to reach. Even a person who has never been to a brick-and-mortar casino can now join the action in a matter of clicks. All it takes is to create a virtual account and start gambling. Secondly, online casinos have a much broader game palette aimed at literally all types of player profiles. This helps them attract much more users than traditional casinos.
It’s pretty logical when you think about it for a moment – if you wish to gamble in a more traditional manner, you can only do it by gathering a bunch of poker lovers or by going to a land-based casino. Online gambling sets you free from this inconvenience. According to unofficial reports, the largest casino sites in the country have nearly four million visitors in total (on a yearly basis).
Top 3 Gaming Business Trends in Poland
But it’s not just about online gambling – a few other trends are worth discussing as well. Here’s what we’re talking about:
Esports
Poland is a great sports nation, but new generations don’t shy away from electronic sports either. It’s a massive trend because digital natives find e-sports more natural in terms of their everyday habits. This is why game providers organize tournaments all over the place to entice thousands of players from different regions. For example, IEM Katowice is one of the most reputable e-sports events internationally, whereas Kinguin represents one of Europe’s strongest e-sports companies.
Mobile gaming
Not too long ago, it took a desktop computer to access your gaming platform. You had to be glued to the chair in order to play a few rounds of your favorite game. But now, almost everyone owns a smartphone in a well-developed country such as Poland. The sheer accessibility of games means that developers will keep designing fresh titles for mobile users in this country.
For instance, you can start a game while driving on the subway train or while waiting in line to pick up an order at McDonald’s. That’s the power of mobile gaming: It’s the trend that makes complicated things much simpler.
New technologies
This is a much broader trend, but it summarizes the latest developments well. All kinds of new technologies are visible in the gaming niche. For instance, you will see video games based on virtual reality tools, while gamblers can use dozens of advanced payment methods at the top online casinos in the country. All these developments help improve the gaming business in Poland.
Regulatory Challenges
Not everything is perfect in this booming niche, though. That’s because new industries demand a more careful regulatory approach: National agencies did not recognize the gaming sector as a traditional business form up until recently, which means they ought to adapt to the rising need for comprehensive regulation.
However, the country is still in the earliest stages regulation-wise. For example, there’s no one dedicated regulatory institution to focus on gambling providers specifically. At the same time, Poland is a member of the European Union, which means it needs to oblige a broader regulatory framework that rules inside the 27-country coalition. All this poses a lot of challenges that will have to be addressed quickly so as to support the further growth of the gaming business in Poland.
What’s The Current Status of Gambling Regulations?
As surprising as it may seem, the Minister of Finance is currently in charge of the gambling sector in Poland. As there is no other authority to cope with this sector, the Finance Minister takes over to monitor casino gaming, lotteries, bingo, and sports betting.
However, the country has its own Gambling Act. According to this document, there’s a state monopoly on all types of online casino games over there. That practically means that only state-founded entities can run a digital gambling business.
On the other hand, the official Register of Illegal Gambling Websites is a dedicated list displaying all online casinos in Poland that operate without a valid state-issued license. This register is also based on the Polish Gambling Act, and its purpose is to prohibit any kind of gambling that doesn’t strictly follow the country’s rigid regulations in this field.
Opportunities and Market Prospects
Despite facing regulatory challenges, this sector still faces some truly promising market prospects. First of all, Poland has positioned itself as a key player in the global gaming scene thanks to a burgeoning pool of talented developers. What’s best, the country’s robust infrastructure – coupled with a tech-savvy population of nearly 38 million – provides a fertile ground for further innovation. Simply put, we can expect Poland to continue delivering fresh and outstanding titles across all genres.
However, the thing that truly sets Poland apart is its main competitive advantage: The country is able to deliver high-quality games at a fraction of the cost compared to Western counterparts. A typical software developer in this country makes around $13 thousand a year, which is nearly $100 thousand less than their peers in the USA. That’s a huge difference that helps Poland attract international publishers seeking cost-effective solutions.
In such circumstances, Poland has a great chance to keep building up its already reputable online gaming scene. With a thriving ecosystem that includes both established studios and a flourishing indie scene, the future of the Polish gaming sector appears promising, with ample opportunities for local and international stakeholders to contribute to and benefit from its ongoing success.
The Bottom Line
With that said, it’s easy to see why Poland makes a genuine fairytale of the world’s gaming industry. Though not as potent as the US or Japan, this country is gradually growing into a true gaming superpower. And that can only mean one thing – both local and international players will have the privilege of enjoying many top-level games in the coming years.
