Welcome to the ultimate guide to betting on sports in Slovenia. In this post, you will be provided with much information ranging from the legality of online betting in this lovely European country and some names of the best bookmakers in Slovenia to tips for depositing money and popular sports in Slovenia.
There is also a timeline of Slovenian gambling laws, tell why many Slovens prefer foreign-based bookies among other things.
Though online gambling is technically illegal in Slovenia, the government has never prosecuted individuals who engage in sports betting at overseas sites. Land-based gambling has been legal for many years and it was imminent that online betting would be allowed from 2018 although the Slovenian Parliament refused to pass a law permitting this.
Below is a timeline that presents the changes in Slovenian gambling laws since 1991:
1991 marked the year of Slovenia’s independence from Yugoslavia. That being a former communist state, it was difficult to find any sports betting opportunities before this time, except for the pool style football bets run by the government.
After independence, the first casinos were established on land, but the procedural management of their activities was not introduced until 1995.
The government tried but only half-heartedly to stop the national internet service providers from using Bwin and Bet-At-Home. However, this was not a law as ISPs didn’t care and Slovenians kept on betting online internationally.
The growth of interest in sports gambling was followed by the introduction of a statute by the Parliament to vest it with state lottery operator, Sportna Loterija.
In time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Sportna Loterija launched its online site. Nonetheless, although it continues to be relatively successful, majority of sports bettors in Slovenia prefer registering and betting with international operators.
Looking at the situation, it seemed as if Parliament was going to pass a bill that would legalize online gambling. This caused certain operators like 888 to withdraw their services from the market, with the hope of coming back after regulations have been put in place. However, this did not happen as, in 2018, the legislation failed to be enacted by upper house of parliament by a margin of 18 votes against 12.
This lack of progress means that Slovenian bettors can still wager through offshore bookies. Legally, it’s not but no law was passed to expressly allow it.
Certainly, there were some sites who before the vote in Parliament of 2018 did not want to take Slovenian players, but there are many that still do. However, even though most won’t have a Slovenian language option, you can readily sign up and gamble online in Slovenia. The deposits and bets can be done through Euros which makes it convenient for you to access your money.
Among them, strong support for the view that local bettors should prefer to operate on offshore sports betting websites rather than use Sportna Loterija (branded e-stave) which is a state-run entity.
Over fifty sports are offered by international betting sites. There is a constant flow of games and matches, starting from football, basketball or horse racing and ending with cycling, rugby or tennis. You should also expect to see virtual games such as football and horse racing as well as possibilities to bet on the main esports events happening across the world.
Online sports betting in Slovenia is more profitable as they provide a range of better offers like deposit bonuses and free bets. For the case where you join one of our recommended bookmakers in Slovenia – don’t expect only a generous welcome bonus, but also regular promotions that will keep you smiling.
Nowadays, every single website facilitating gambling is mobile-oriented and responsive. The global brands out there do not just give an average user experience but a great one. This makes it easy to find and place bets as well settle them right after the events’ termination in a nick of time.
Trading market is now crowded with traders who work round the clock, this has seen offshore bookies offer more in-play markets on a variety of sporting activities. The betting odds are dynamic and it keeps changing as the game progresses giving you multiple chances of staking.
The finest Slovenian betting sites provide a great variety of payment options which make it very simple for you to credit your betting account instantly. You can also take out your profits swiftly without any trouble as well.
Naturally, when you sign up for the first time with betting companies in Slovenia, there will be some checks carried out to ensure that you are indeed who you purport to be. It is called Know Your Customer (KYC) and it is aimed at fighting money laundering and preventing gambling by underage persons (the minimum age for online gambling in Slovenia is 18).
Some of the most popular payment methods include:
At Slovenian betting sites, the most well-liked means of payment are Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards; they are allowed at all top sports betting websites. Top-up your account in no time and when you wish to access your money, cash out onto the same card. In Slovenia, depositing through bank cards is the easiest way to make payments in sports betting.
Many international betting websites allow direct transfers from your bank account. To see if you can transfer funds directly from a local bank like Nova Ljubljanska Banka, SKB Banka or Nova Kreditna Banka, please go to the cashier section of your chosen bookmaker’s website.
When it was developed, Moneybookers, now known as Skrill, targeted online betting accounts. One can easily track their online gambling activities using this e-wallet available in Slovenia because all their betting testimonials are stored in one place.
The Slovenian bettors like NETELLER because it is another popular payment method which enables you to maintain your betting transactions separate from your bank account. Make a deposit into NETELLER and then transfer the money through email from your wallet to the desired gambling site. If Skrill and NETELLER are not your favorite e-wallets, most of the betting sites accept PayPal as well.
There are many games in which Slovenians will play, watch or even bet on. Slovenians show a great deal of interest in local leagues and tournaments but at the same time they also bet on major sporting events taking place across Europe, America and Asia.
The best betting sites in Slovenia present lots of good betting opportunities 24/7. Nevertheless, there are four sports that Slovenians fancy the most:
In Slovenia, football is by far the most admired and watched sport. PrvaLiga Slovenia (1.SNL) as well known to the locals is played among 10 teams since 1991 when the country became independent; so far, Maribor and Olimpija have been very successful in it.
While the Slovenians are crazy about football, it is worth mentioning that their national side has only qualified for two World Cups: in 2002 and 2010. They enjoy betting on football regardless of whether they support the national team or not. A keen follower of English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Germany’s Bundesliga, Slovenia will also be interested in major competitions like World Cup, Champions League and European Championships with little consideration for its chances to bet on Slovenia or not.
In Slovenia, winter sports are extremely popular due to the amazing mountainous landscape that the country is blessed with. Consequently, skiing in alpine mode, ski flying and cross-country skiing are some of the most followed sports events for which people enjoy placing bets.
Some of the most famous skiers include Ales Gorza, who represented his country at 2006 Winter Olympic Games, while Ana Drev represented Slovenia in the World Cup, specializing in Giant slalom. She started participating in World Cup at age only 16. Besides, the female team of Slovenia won Ski Jumping World Cup last year (2021).
For instance, the Slovenian Hockey League is contested by eight teams including HK Olimpija. The national champion is determined through a championship phase that comes after the regular season. It offers an opportunity for betting which can be thrilling.
The highest rank ever achieved by the international men’s team was 13th in the year 2002 (in Sweden) and 2005 (in Austria) during the Ice Hockey World Championships. Slovenians also follow matches of ice hockey on the other continents, including NHL in USA and Canada.
The Premier A Slovenian Basketball League (abbreviated as 1. SKL) is a contest between ten teams that are closely matched. Some, for instance Krka, were created in 1948 under the name of Yugoslavia. Olympija has collected the most 1. SKL championships so far with a tally of seventeen.
The national team has been doing consistently well, qualifying for EuroBasket and each year since 2005 it successfully reached the knockout stages. Its biggest achievement was in 2017 when the country became the European champion. Online betting in Slovenia is often indicated by this passion for hoops. People gamble on local matches and NBA as well.
In spite of the high-profile attempt made by MP Branko Zorman to make online betting legal in Slovenia in 2018, the country still remains a grey market and is still unregulated. Only state-run Sportna Loterija is allowed to engage in online gaming while other forms of gambling on the net are not licensed; however, there is no law that directly prohibits Slovenians from using international betting platforms.
Besides, there is a variety of options to choose from and we advise about some of them on this page. Some bookies such as 888 and BetStars (a sister site with the PokerStars online poker site) quit participating in gambling industry in 2016 hoping that regulations were just around the corner. However, they have not come back yet, but there are no hopes for future; hence, legalization of online gambling appears to be as distant as it was before.
However, this will not prevent the local population from continuing to play online gambling in Slovenia through the overseas websites which are typically governed by authorities like UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).
Apart from the government website, no other online gambling websites have been legalized in Slovenia. Nevertheless, international bookmakers are all over and it lacks a sense of impediment to its citizens getting associated with the top sports betting websites in Slovenia.
Indeed, the top sports gambling websites can be found in Slovenia. They do not have a government permit, but there is equally no restriction preventing its residents from joining and placing bets at these websites.
In order to gamble in casinos or enjoy sports betting, players must be 18 years old. The age limit is the same as it is for most online betting sites that are popular among Slovenian citizens.
A.The winnings of sports betting in Slovenia are not taxed. You will retain all the money you won if your predictions are accurate.
