Czech Republic Finance Minister Andrej Babis has reportedly urged the country to increase taxes on betting companies from 2016 in a move that would almost double the amount it takes from the gambling industry.
Betting firms operating in the European country currently pay a tax rate of 20% on gross win from gambling, in addition to a 19% corporate tax rate.
According to various reports, Babis has suggested increasing the gambling tax to between 30% and 40%, with fixed-odds betting taxed at the lower end of the range and gaming machines at the upper end.
The Finance Ministry said Babis will present the proposal on Friday.
The call comes after iGaming Business reported earlier this week that the Czech Republic is to begin treating gambling as an illegal drug under new changes to the country’s strategy in the anti-drug policy.
National anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil said that the strategy will now include the measures to restrain access to gambling, as well as alcohol, in order to lower their impact.
source : www.igamingbusiness.com
