Hungary Gaming License
Hungary licenses online betting and online casino gaming through two separate instruments. The Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs (SZTFH) issues remote gambling licences for online betting to EEA companies. Online casino gaming stays tied to a Hungarian land-based casino concession. This page sets out what each route requires, what it costs, and what the 2026 reform may change.
The overview
| Item | Detail, as of August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs (SZTFH) |
| Core law | Act XXXIV of 1991 on Gambling Operations, amended by Act XIX of 2022 |
| Remote betting | Open to EEA companies since 1 January 2023 |
| Online casino | Only for holders of a Hungarian land-based casino concession |
| Licence term | Up to 7 years |
| Licence fee | HUF 600,000,000 for the full term, paid in advance |
| Share capital | HUF 1,000,000,000 |
| Timeline | Up to 75 days to register a representative, then up to 120 days for a decision. |
| Taxation | 15% of net gaming revenue on remote betting, plus a 2.5% supervision fee. |
| Market status | No foreign operator holds a Hungarian licence. The SZTFH register lists two Hungarian licensees in different categories: Szerencsejáték Zrt. for remote betting and LVC Diamond for online casino (SZTFH register, 24 August 2026). |
What is a Hungary gaming license?
Hungary gaming license is a label, not an instrument. Hungarian remote gambling licences cover online betting and are open to EEA companies. Online casino gaming runs off a land-based casino concession. Lottery and land-based sports betting sit with the state operator Szerencsejáték Zrt. Only the first accepts new applicants.
Competitor pages tend to merge these into a single "Hungary online gambling license". No such licence exists. The Gambling Act licenses each activity on its own terms, and the terms differ far more than the shared label suggests.
| Licence | Who can hold it | Term | Open to a foreign operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote gambling (távszerencsejáték) | EEA companies meeting the conditions in Act XXXIV of 1991 | Up to 7 years | Yes in law. No foreign operator has been licensed to date. |
| Online casino | Holders of a Hungarian land-based casino concession | Set with the concession | No |
| Land-based casino | Concession holders selected by the state | Set with the concession | Concession only |
| Lottery and land-based sports betting | Szerencsejáték Zrt. | State monopoly | No |
Remote gambling in Hungarian law is távszerencsejáték, which the SZTFH defines as betting organised exclusively through telecommunications tools and systems. Online casino gaming falls outside that definition, which is why it follows the concession route instead.
Who regulates gambling in Hungary?
One regulator covers every form of gambling in Hungary: Szabályozott Tevékenységek Felügyeleti Hatósága, or SZTFH. Two English renderings circulate, Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs and Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities. Sources that list SARA and SZTFH as separate agencies are describing the same body twice.
The authority's own English pages use the SARA abbreviation. Both renderings appear in legal guides, and neither is a second agency. SZTFH took over gambling supervision in 2021 and now issues licences, maintains the public licence register and the Player Protection Register, and enforces against unlicensed operators.
Three other authorities matter, and none of them issues a Hungarian gambling licence. The Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV) collects gaming tax and corporate tax. The Hungarian Financial Intelligence Unit (HFIU) receives anti-money-laundering reports, with the SZTFH acting as sector AML supervisor under Act LIII of 2017. The Nemzeti Adatvédelmi és Információszabadság Hatóság (NAIH) supervises data protection.
Can foreign operators get an online casino license in Hungary?
No. Online casino gaming in Hungary is open only to companies that already hold a concession for a Hungarian land-based casino. The Gambling Act creates no standalone Hungarian online casino licence, so there is nothing for an outside operator to apply for.
The SZTFH public register shows how concentrated that market is. As of 24 August 2026 the register lists three licensed online casino sites: kaszino.hu, vegas.hu and xcasino.hu. All three belong to one company, LVC Diamond Játékkaszinó Üzemeltető Kft. Those licences run to 31 March 2056, in line with the concession terms behind them.
An operator that wants online casino exposure in Hungary therefore has to acquire a concession company rather than apply for anything. That is a corporate transaction, not a licensing project, and the seller pool is a handful of concession companies. Concessions themselves are granted under Act XVI of 1991 on Concessions, and the holder is known in Hungarian as a koncessziós társaság.
What are the requirements for a Hungarian remote gambling license?
Only EEA companies can apply for a Hungarian remote gambling license. The applicant must already hold five years as a licensed online gambling operator in an EEA state. The Gambling Act sets a share capital of HUF 1,000,000,000, a security deposit from HUF 250,000,000, and a registered representative in Hungary. One remote gambling licence authorises one website.
The eligibility conditions rule out most applicants before cost becomes the question:
EEA incorporation. The applicant must be established in a European Economic Area (EEA) member state.
Five years of licensed operation. The applicant must have organised remote gambling (távszerencsejáték) or online casino games (online kaszinójáték) under a licence in another EEA state for at least five years (Act XIX of 2022, in force 1 January 2023).
Clean history. Any organisation of unlicensed gambling in the five years before the application disqualifies the applicant.
Share capital of HUF 1,000,000,000.
Security deposit of at least HUF 250,000,000, set by the SZTFH.
Registered representative. The application goes in through a representative on the SZTFH register. That representative must hold a master's degree in law or economics, or an equivalent university degree, under Decree 20/2021 (X. 29.) SZTFH.
Hungarian branch, established within 90 days of the licence being issued. Gambling may only be organised through that branch.
Server in Hungary. The gaming server has to sit in Hungary, with continuous remote access for the SZTFH to the data set out in annex 4 of the implementing decree.
One website per Hungarian remote gambling licence, so multi-brand strategies need several.
Player protection action plan, prepared and implemented, and approved by the SZTFH.
The five year record is the condition that decides most cases. A new brand cannot satisfy it at any price, and no amount of capital substitutes for it.
How much does a Hungary gaming license cost?
State fees for a Hungarian remote gambling license start at HUF 610,000,000: a HUF 10,000,000 administrative fee plus a HUF 600,000,000 licence fee for the whole term. Neither buys the licence alone. Share capital of HUF 1,000,000,000 and a deposit from HUF 250,000,000 must also be in place.
| Item | Amount in HUF | Approximate EUR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative service fee | 10,000,000 | 25,000 | Paid with the application and not refunded if the procedure ends without a licence, Ordinance 3/2022 (I. 24.) SZTFH |
| Licence fee | 600,000,000 | 1,500,000 | Whole term, in advance, no instalments |
| Share capital | 1,000,000,000 | 2,500,000 | Statutory minimum for the licensee |
| Security deposit | from 250,000,000 | from 625,000 | Minimum set by the SZTFH |
| Gaming tax | 15% of net gaming revenue | not applicable | Monthly |
| Supervision fee | 2.5% of quarterly net gaming revenue | not applicable | Minimum HUF 100,000, maximum HUF 10,000,000 |
HUF amounts are the legal figures. EUR equivalents are approximate, as of August 2026, and move with the exchange rate; published guides quote anywhere between EUR 1.5m and EUR 1.7m for the same HUF 600,000,000 fee.
What the table does not include: incorporating and capitalising the Hungarian branch, the registered representative, technical certification and testing of the gaming system, statutory audit, and Hungarian legal and AML advisory work. Those are commercial costs and vary by scope.
The licence fee carries a structural detail worth pricing in. It covers the full term, it is paid in advance, and the SZTFH does not allow instalments. An operator that exits early does not recover it.
How it works
How to apply for a Hungary gaming license?
Navigating the gaming license process can be complex. Here's a streamlined guide to each step.
Applying for a Hungary gaming license runs through five stages under Act XXXIV of 1991. A representative is registered with the SZTFH first, the application and administrative fee follow, and the SZTFH then has up to 120 days to decide. Post-licence steps include the Hungarian branch, which must exist within 90 days.
How is gambling taxed in Hungary?
Hungarian gaming tax on remote gambling is 15% of net gaming revenue, payable monthly under Act XXXIV of 1991. Online casino gaming is taxed on a different and much heavier scale that starts at 30%. A supervision fee of 2.5% of quarterly net gaming revenue applies on top, and corporate income tax is 9%.
| Remote gambling (online betting) | 15% of net gaming revenue, payable monthly |
|---|---|
| Online casino, up to HUF 10,000,000,000 | 30% of net gaming revenue |
| Online casino, above HUF 10,000,000,000 | HUF 3,000,000,000 plus 10% of the amount above the threshold |
| Supervision fee | 2.5% of quarterly net gaming revenue, minimum HUF 100,000, maximum HUF 10,000,000 |
| Corporate income tax | 9%, plus local business tax of up to 2% and a 0.3% innovation contribution |
Net gaming revenue means stakes received less winnings paid, and returns are filed monthly with NAV. The supervision fee runs on a quarterly cycle and is capped, so it matters most to smaller books, where the HUF 100,000 floor applies instead. Where an operator's online casino revenue exceeds its land-based casino revenue, the positive difference carries a further 15%.
Player-side treatment cuts the other way and works in favour of licensed operators. Winnings from an SZTFH-licensed operator are exempt from personal income tax under section 76(4) of Act CXVII of 1995. Winnings from unlicensed sites are taxable in the player's hands, which gives Hungarian players a direct financial reason to stay inside the regulated channel.
What is changing in Hungarian gambling regulation in 2026?
Hungarian gambling regulation is expected to change, and the parameters have not been published. The April 2026 election gave the opposition TISZA party 53.1% of the vote and 141 of 199 seats, a constitutional supermajority. The new government has ordered a review of Szerencsejáték Zrt. A broader overhaul of the gambling regime is widely anticipated. Nothing has been enacted.
Two pressures point the same way. Hungarian courts in 2026 found the casino concession system, including its online gaming provisions, to be in breach of fundamental EU law principles. That follows a long line of Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rulings against elements of the Hungarian regime. The list includes Berlington Hungary (C-98/14, 2015), Unibet (C-49/16, 2017) and Sporting Odds (C-3/17, 2018). Sporting Odds held that the Hungarian online casino rules breached EU law.
Commentators expect a move toward a multi-licence model of the kind used in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, which would break the link between online casino and a land-based concession. That expectation is reported, not legislated, and no draft has been published as of August 2026.
MGL view: an operator planning a new Hungarian entry is better served by waiting for the reform than by committing capital under the present framework. The barriers that keep the current regime closed are precisely the ones a multi-licence reform would remove, and the fees are sunk on payment. This section is updated as the reform develops.
What are the advantages of a Hungarian gaming license?
The strongest argument for a Hungarian remote gambling license is channelled demand. Player winnings from licensed operators are exempt from personal income tax, so Hungarian players have a financial reason to stay on licensed sites. The Gambling Act sets no cap on Hungarian remote betting licences, and the decision deadline is capped by statute at 120 days.
Enforcement is a further advantage for a licensee, and an unusual one to list. Since 1 July 2023 the SZTFH has worked with financial institutions to block payment accounts used by unlicensed operators and to have card payments to those operators refused. Aggressive enforcement against grey supply protects the operators inside the regime.
Corporate tax is 9%, the lowest headline rate in the EU, with local business tax of up to 2% on top. Gaming tax is deductible for corporate income tax purposes. Structuring should be confirmed with Hungarian tax counsel, because the branch requirement shapes the available options.
One limit belongs in this section rather than the next. A Hungarian licence does not passport: it authorises gambling in Hungary and nowhere else.
What are the disadvantages and limitations?
Hungary sets some of the highest entry barriers in the EU, and the hardest of them is not financial. The five year EEA licensing record excludes new brands outright. Online casino gaming is closed to anyone without a land-based concession. The HUF 600,000,000 licence fee is sunk on payment, and one licence covers one website.
The market evidence is the clearest limitation. Remote gambling has been open to EEA companies since 1 January 2023. As of 24 August 2026 the SZTFH register shows Szerencsejáték Zrt., the state operator behind tippmixpro.hu, holding the remote gambling licence for online betting, and LVC Diamond holding the online casino licences for kaszino.hu, vegas.hu and xcasino.hu. The two sit in different licence categories, and both companies are Hungarian. No foreign operator holds a Hungarian licence. That is a statement about the position on that date, not a permanent feature.
The legal framework is also under revision. A reform that has been signalled but not published is a poor basis for a seven year commitment, and the terms an entrant accepts today may not be the terms the market runs on in two years.
Which licenses can operators consider instead of Hungary?
Operators who need EU or EU-adjacent market access now have three realistic alternatives to Hungary: Malta for an EU-regulated base, Romania for a large regulated national market, and Curaçao for a fast international licence outside the EU. Hungary remains the only one of the four that is effectively closed to new foreign applicants.
| Jurisdiction | Open to a new foreign operator | Entry cost | Timeline | Market type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | No in practice | State fees from HUF 610,000,000 | About 6.5 months to a decision, 9.5 before it can operate | EU national market, remote betting only |
| Malta | Yes | Statutory first year floor EUR 45,000 | About 12 months | EU base serving multiple markets |
| Romania | Yes | EUR 300,000 annual licence tax, plus authorisation of 30% of GGR with a minimum of EUR 480,000, plus a EUR 500,000 responsible gambling contribution (Law 141/2025), so about EUR 1.28m a year at the floor | About 3 to 4 months | Large EU national market |
| Curaçao | Yes | Application EUR 4,592, annual B2C EUR 47,450 | 3 to 6 months | International licence outside the EU |
A fourth route exists for operators who specifically want Hungarian online casino exposure. Because the activity is concession-locked, market access can only be bought, not applied for, which makes it a deal to negotiate, not an application to file. MGL covers that scenario through iGaming M&A rather than through licensing.
Why choose MGL?
No one can sell you a Hungarian licence today, MGL included. What MGL does on Hungary is assess whether your model fits, whether your EEA structure clears the five year record, what the 2026 reform is likely to change, and which jurisdiction to run if Hungary does not fit.
MGL has obtained 300+ licences for operators across offshore, EU and national regimes, which is what makes the comparison useful rather than theoretical. Where a client already holds an EEA licence and could satisfy the Hungarian record requirement, the assessment covers whether the timing argues for applying now or waiting for the reform.
FAQ
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Yes, with an SZTFH licence. Hungarian remote gambling licences for online betting have been open to EEA companies since 1 January 2023. Online casino gaming is legal only for holders of a Hungarian land-based casino concession.
No. Serving Hungarian players without a Hungarian licence is prohibited gambling. Since 1 July 2023 the SZTFH can order banks to block payment accounts used by unlicensed sites and require card payments to those sites to be refused.
Registering a representative takes up to 75 days. The SZTFH then has up to 120 days to decide the licence application. A Hungarian branch must be established within 90 days of the licence being issued. The licence itself runs up to 7 years.
No. A Hungarian licence authorises gambling in Hungary only. EU law provides no mutual recognition here, so each member state licenses its own market separately.
Hungary has no separate B2B supplier licence. The Gambling Act licenses operators, and the licensed operator carries regulatory and technical responsibility for its platform. Suppliers reach the market through the certification and technical standards applied to the licensee's systems.
Tell us which EEA licence you hold and when it was issued. We will tell you whether Hungary is open to you in practice, and which market to run if it is not.