Hungary’s government has ordered a review of the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH), which oversees gambling in the country, including online casinos and sports betting. The resolution was published on August 31, 2026, with the justice minister required to report the findings to the government by September 30.
The review does not abolish the SZTFH at this stage. Instead, it examines whether the authority could be wound up and its responsibilities transferred to government-controlled bodies.
What could change for gambling regulation
The SZTFH licenses and supervises gambling in Hungary, including online casino and sports betting operators. It also maintains the player self-exclusion register and operates the blocking system used against unlicensed gambling websites.
Its remit extends well beyond gambling. The authority also oversees tobacco retail, mining and geology, insolvency practitioners and court bailiffs, cybersecurity certification and Hungary’s domestic ESG framework.
If the SZTFH is dissolved, these responsibilities could be reassigned to other bodies under direct government control.
The government resolution does not give a specific reason for the review. However, it follows several developments that have drawn scrutiny over the regulator’s activities.
In July, the SZTFH renewed the 35-year concession for the Sopron casino, extending it to 2061. The concession is held by CAI Hungary Kft, a company linked to businessman István Garancsi. The renewal was made without a public tender, a procedure allowed under Hungarian law for gambling organisers that meet the relevant reliability requirements.
The renewal appeared in the regulator’s licence register around July 20, several weeks after the government said it would review casino concessions issued during the final months of the previous administration.
SZTFH defends its independence
The regulator said it is an independent body established by parliament under Hungary’s 2021 law on the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities and is accountable to parliament.
SZTFH also pointed to its actions against illegal online gambling and said it had strengthened controls protecting minors in the tobacco market. The authority employs more than 400 people.
It also argued that EU law requires certain state functions to be performed by administrative bodies that are independent from central government.
At the same time, SZTFH said it would fully cooperate with the justice minister during the review ordered by the government.
No final decision on the authority’s abolition has been made. The next key step will be the justice minister’s report, which is due by September 30, 2026.
Source: European Gaming
