As the long-awaited final amendments to the Hungarian gambling authority’s (SARA) Implementation Decree have been published on 19 December 2022, with the already known amendments to the Gambling Act, the picture of the forthcoming Hungarian online gambling regime is more complete. Only one practical element was missing: the forms through which EEA companies may submit their applications for online sports betting licenses. With the start of the new year, the necessary forms have appeared on the SARA’s website.

First, as EEA applicants outside from Hungary should appoint a representative who will submit the application to the SARA and make statements on behalf of them, the SARA has made the respective form available. This may be submitted from the personal “Ügyfélkapu” (official electronic portal of Hungarian citizens) of the representative. The SARA should take a decision on the registration in 75 days.

Second, (in case of non-Hungarian EEA companies, after the representative is registered) applicants should also use the form named ‘Application for the licensing of remote gambling’, to which several documents must be attached (e.g. game plan, terms of participation, budget, AML-related documents, audit certificate of IT systems). With the submission, applicants shall pay an administrative service fee of HUF 10 million (~EUR 25,000). The SARA should take a decision on the licensing application within 120 days. According to the Implementation Decree, companies may be authorized for a maximum of 7 years to operate online sports betting and they may operate one gambling website.