From 2026, Croatia will double the amount of funding generated by the country’s gambling sector for social and public interest programmes.
The announcement comes directly from Chief State Treasurer Danijela Stepić, who confirmed that her office has been allocated €214m to distribute to public programmes.
The figure represents a significant increase from the approximately €130m made available under the previous funding cycle.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Ministry of Finance, Stepić outlined how the funds will be distributed under the government’s annual “Regulation on the Criteria for the Distribution of Revenues from Games of Chance.”
Plenkovic wants a ‘civil approach’ to gambling
The mandate forms part of the wider reforms carried out by the Democratic Union (HDZ) government during 2025 and 2026 to overhaul Croatia’s gambling laws and regulatory framework.
Winning a third consecutive term in office in 2024, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković fast-tracked amendments to the Games of Chance Act, to address Croatia’s growing gambling addiction crisis.
Public health figures have cited around 40,000 adults living with severe gambling disorders, while Croatia has also reported some of the highest rates of problem gambling among teenagers in the Balkans.
The reforms began with a complete ban on self-service gambling terminals in cafés, bars, kiosks and restaurants, alongside new restrictions preventing betting shops from serving alcohol.
Fiscal changes saw HDZ increase licence fees for both online and land-based gambling operators by 50%, while revising the taxation of player winnings through a tiered tax structure on prizes.
Additionally, gambling winnings are taxed at rates ranging from 10% to 30%, with the highest rate applying only to customer winnings in the €1,500-to-€70,000.
Plenković has repeatedly described the reforms as a “civic approach” to gambling regulation, to the benefit of society and not the gambling sector.
According to the Ministry of Finance, around €144m of the 2026 allocation will come from projected gambling revenues, while a further €70m consists of unspent funds carried forward from 2025, taking the total available for distribution to more than €214m.
Treasury sets terms
State Treasurer Stepić that reforms of the Games of Chance Act, have established “the criteria and percentages by which part of the revenues from games of chance are distributed to priority programme areas”.
Stepić added that the proposed allocation model is based on the “analyses of priority sectoral problems”, taking into account funding requirements for Croatia’s public bodies and civil society organisations.
As such, Croatia Treasury requires a specific charter to accompany the funds generated under a new Games of Chance Act, as Stepić explained that funding would be reserved for programmes.
“Supporting the development of civil society and finance programme activities that contribute to improving the quality of life in all areas of social life,” he said.
Funding will continue to support a broad range of public interest sectors, including “sport, addiction prevention and treatment, social and humanitarian services, organisations supporting people with disabilities, culture, technical education, non-institutional education for children and young people, and civil society development”.
The decree has now entered public consultation, with the Ministry of Finance stating that the allocation framework has been developed following consultations with ministries, public institutions and non-governmental organisations.
HDZ will support the Treasury in ensuring that the enlarged gambling fund is channelled into civic programmes that address Croatia’s most pressing social challenges.