Lawmakers in the Czech Republic recently advanced a measure legalizing gaming with no opposition, and which now awaits signing by President Milos Zeman.
Zeman has 30 days from the Czech Republic Senate approving it with 42 yes votes, 23 abstaining, and no one opposing it.
If Zeman signs the measure, the nation’s new gambling law takes effect in early 2017.
The proposed law would eliminate a ban on foreign online gaming and levies a 23 percent tax on the gross incomes of online lotteries and sports books. Casinos would pay a 35 percent tax rate on their gross incomes.
The proposed tax rates are much higher than the European average of 19 percent.
If enacted, the new law would create a national database of players excluded from accessing online gaming and undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.
