These BLIK transfers will no longer go through. The new mechanism will launch in September

From September 1, the BLIK system operator will launch a solution that will prevent payments to illegal gambling websites. The mechanism is to cover websites placed in the register of prohibited domains maintained by the Ministry of Finance.

The Polish Payment Standard received consent from the President of the National Bank of Poland to implement the new rules. The block will operate at the level of the entire payment scheme, regardless of whether the transaction is handled by a domestic or foreign acquirer.

Changes to BLIK from September 1 will not apply to regular purchases

The new solution will not affect everyday use of the system. Users will still be able to pay with BLIK in stores, online and make phone transfers. Only transactions related to domains listed in the government register will be verified.

The control is to be automatic. The system will be connected to the database of the Ministry of Finance via the API interface and, before making the payment, it will check whether the website from which the operation comes is on the list of banned domains.

The block will also cover foreign intermediaries

The operator emphasizes that the mechanism is intended to ensure uniform operating rules regardless of the method of payment processing. This means that an illegal transaction will not go through even if it is handled by a foreign settlement agent.

According to the Polish Payment Standard, the solution is to support the application of Polish regulations and help domestic financial service providers in fulfilling their obligations. The payment will be rejected automatically if the domain appears in the registry.

The register contains over 55 thousand. addresses

In Poland, bets can only be placed with companies registered and paying taxes in the country. In the case of online casinos, Totalizator Sportowy, which runs Total Casino, has a monopoly.

The register of domains used to offer gambling games contrary to the Act contains over 55,000 domains. entries. Each month the list grows by approximately 700 new addresses.

The gray market still constitutes a significant part of the market

The above-mentioned EY report shows that approximately half of the gambling market in Poland may belong to the gray zone. However, the Ministry of Finance indicates that its share in online gambling is systematically decreasing.

In 2017, this share was estimated at 58.6%, while in 2024 it was to be 29.1%. The new BLIK mechanism is intended to additionally limit the possibility of transferring money to websites operating contrary to Polish law.