Croatia will significantly increase the amount of gambling-related revenue directed toward public interest initiatives from 2026, as the government expands funding for community, health and social programmes as part of its broader gambling reform agenda.
The country’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed that a total of €214 million will be available for distribution through its annual funding scheme, according to Chief State Treasurer Danijela Stepić. The allocation marks a substantial rise from the roughly €130 million distributed under the previous cycle.
Speaking at a Ministry of Finance conference, Stepić said the funding will be allocated under updated rules governing the distribution of revenues generated from games of chance. The changes form part of Croatia’s ongoing overhaul of its gambling legislation led by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
The reforms follow Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s decision to accelerate amendments to the country’s Games of Chance Act after concerns over rising gambling-related harm. Croatian authorities estimate that around 40,000 adults are affected by severe gambling addiction, while the country also reports one of the highest levels of problem gambling among teenagers in the Balkan region.
Recent measures have included banning self-service gambling terminals from cafés, bars, kiosks and restaurants, prohibiting betting shops from serving alcohol, increasing licence fees for both online and land-based operators by 50%, and introducing a revised tax system for gambling winnings. Under the current structure, player winnings are taxed on a sliding scale between 10% and 30%, with the highest rate applying to prizes valued between €1,500 and €70,000.
Of the €214 million available in 2026, approximately €144 million is expected to come from gambling revenue collected during the year, while the remaining €70 million consists of unspent funds carried over from 2025.
Stepić said the updated Games of Chance Act establishes clear criteria for how gambling revenue will be distributed, with funding priorities based on the country’s most pressing social needs and the requirements of public institutions and civil society organisations.
The government intends to direct the money toward a wide range of public initiatives, including sport, addiction prevention and treatment, social welfare, humanitarian services, disability support, culture, technical education, youth education outside the formal school system and broader civil society development.
The proposed funding framework has now entered a public consultation period after being developed in cooperation with government ministries, public institutions and non-governmental organisations. Once approved, it will guide how expanded gambling revenues are invested in programmes designed to improve quality of life across Croatia.