Poland’s BLIK Mobile Payment System Blocks Payments to Illegal Gambling Sites

Poland’s BLIK mobile payment system initiated a new compliance mechanism on 1 September, blocking payment transactions to online gambling operators deemed illegal under Polish law. BLIK now checks the domain of each transaction and automatically refuses authorisation if that domain appears in the Ministry of Finance’s official register of illegal gambling websites. This step addresses a persistent challenge in online gambling, where operators licensed elsewhere may nevertheless breach Polish regulations.

BLIK’s Blocking System: Direct Action Against Unlicensed Gambling

BLIK, operated by Polish Payment Standard (PSP), acts on illegal gambling by refusing payment authorisation to any domain present in the Ministry of Finance’s register. According to Monika Krol, vice president at PSP, BLIK updated its transaction processes to screen each payment against the government’s blacklist. If a payment attempt targets a flagged domain, BLIK blocks the transaction at source.

“That is why at BLIK we have decided to introduce an additional mechanism to block transactions carried out by entities that are illegal under Polish law, even though the regulations place the onus in this regard primarily on payment service providers,” said Monika Krol, vice president of PSP.

The change means that regardless of where a gambling service is licensed, BLIK now uses Polish law as the standard for authorisation. Blocking is not limited to domestic transactions: cross-border payments are also screened, reflecting a sector where geographic licensing regimes often clash (for further insights, see regulation).

Regulatory Background: Poland’s Approach to Illegal Online Gambling Payments

Poland enforces strict restrictions on internet gambling. Since 2017, only the national operator has been allowed to run online casino games, with exemptions carved out for sports betting and promotional lotteries. The Ministry of Finance maintains and regularly updates a public register listing all internet domains linked to unlicensed remote gambling operators. Payment providers have legal obligations to prevent service to those domains, but Polish Payment Standard’s move goes beyond the minimum, making domain checks part of BLIK’s core transaction authorisation workflow.

Krol notes that while regulations principally target payment service providers, BLIK has decided to embed blocking at platform level. The Ministry’s list dynamically expands as new illegal operators are identified.

Market Data: Grey Market’s Shrinking Share After Enforcement Rise

Data published by the Ministry of Finance in May 2026 points to a marked decline in illicit market activity. In 2024, illegal operators still accounted for 29.1% of Poland’s gambling market, down sharply from 58.6% in 2017—a fall of 29.5 percentage points. The state monopoly’s extension to most forms of online gambling, paired with payment blocking by systems like BLIK, has coincided with this contraction of the grey market share.

Poland’s regulatory model closely monitors payments and operator behaviour. Operators unlicensed domestically but permitted elsewhere are still blocked at the payment level if caught by the Ministry’s scrutiny. The grey market’s reduction is cited as an indicator that these combined enforcement measures are having an effect.

Implications for Operators and Payment Providers

With BLIK’s updated process in place, operators unauthorised in Poland can expect immediate transaction refusals for users attempting to pay through BLIK. Payment service providers must also keep their compliance practices aligned with the government register to avoid processing funds for illegal gambling domains.

Sports betting and promotional lotteries, exempt from the state monopoly, remain unaffected provided they meet local licensing rules. For operators pursuing entry into the Polish market, strict adherence to local regulations, including alignment with authorised payments systems, remains essential.

What’s Next for Payment Compliance in Poland?

Polish Payment Standard’s proactivity may prompt further moves by payment providers facing similar regulatory pressure. The mechanism of domain-based blocking is likely to be closely watched in other markets grappling with cross-border gambling transactions. As grey market activity declines, other operators and vendors may adapt their compliance frameworks in response to such direct interventions.