Best Betting Sites in Hungary

One would expect the beautiful country nestled in the heart of Europe to have embraced a more liberal attitude about betting and gambling. But, if one counts the bet sites in Hungary that are actually available to the nearly 10 million Hungarians, it becomes apparent that there is a serious issue.

However, despite the current reforms in the gambling law, which limit Hungarian bettors to only one local online operator, Tippmix, domestic players can always expand their options by registering with one of the many reputed international bookmakers.

Best Hungary Betting Sites

A tedious qualification process allowed us to finalize our list of the best betting sites in Hungary. In doing so, we revised bookmakers that accept payments in Forint and offer their services in Magyar. The Hungarian-speaking Customer Service department was an added benefit too.

Gambling in Hungary - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age in Hungary is 18
• 2
  In 2006, a crackdown forced Hungarian banks to block financial transactions using Citibank, MKB, K&H Bank, and Takarebank-issued credit cards
• 3
  The first blacklist consisted of Betclic, Bet-at-home, and Sportingbet (2013). A year later, Ladbrokes joined as well
• 4
  Hungarian players cannot deposit funds to their betting accounts using credit cards issued by K&H and other local banks
• 5
  Players are not taxed on their winnings

General info

⏩Population: 9.772.750

⏩Active Players: 3.700.000

⏩Currency: Hungarian Forint

⏩Regulated Gambling Products: Sports betting, horse race betting, casino, poker, lottery, bingo

⏩Operator types: Online sports betting monopoly (Tippmix), non-licensed online bookmakers and casinos

⏩Designated Authority: National Tax and Customs Administration

⏩Status: Non-regulated / Grey market

Online Betting in Hungary: The Law Framework

Although the Gambling Act of 1991 legalized all forms of gambling in Hungary, it was, in fact, promoting a monopoly because a sports betting website could only operate in the country if it was majority-owned by the state. This ended up with Szerencsejáték Zrt dominating the sports betting industry through their subsidiary, TippMix.

Meanwhile, any attempt made from international operators to launch a Hungarian language betting site faced a wall. UK-based Sportingbet, for example, was issued a fine of Ft500,000 in 2004 when they went by the EU law that permitted their operations in Hungary and tried to get a share of the Hungarian online gambling pie.

At the same time, domestic credit card providers and banks were also pushed to block transactions to international sports betting and gaming sites, as a means to prevent those sites from operating in Hungary. Nevertheless, blacklisting practice is no longer in force, which is why many international bookmakers still accept players from Hungary.

Under pressure from the EU the government was forced to revise the betting laws in Hungary in 2013, which gave foreign operators the green light to enter the Hungarian market. However, the high entrance fees and imposed taxes make gaining a license a far-fetched dream for numerous bookmakers.

All in all, despite all efforts to regulate the online gambling market in Hungary, it is now considered a grey market that has no time frame indicating when it is going to be regulated. Now, if you want to wager on international bookmakers, bear in mind that although there have been attempts to ISP-block some foreign websites, no laws have been applied to make betting on them illegal.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Hungary?

Indeed, it is. However, do note that you must be at least 18 years of age to start betting online. The good news is that you won’t be taxed on your winnings, while many foreign online bookmakers have already made themselves available in Magyar.

The one thing you need to check is whether you can fund your account with your Visa or MasterCard as some banks have restrictions in regards to processing gambling transactions.

Which .com Bookmakers Accept Players from Hungary?

Of the many international bookmakers that operate out there, the ones really worth mentioning are those that accept Hungarian bettors. Now, if they also offer their services in Magyar and accept Forint, this is even better news for you.

Regardless of the case, you will still be able to use the local currency to make deposits – your Forint will most likely be converted to euros. The top 3 international bookmakers that operate within the Hungarian gambling market are as follows:

Bet365 Hungary

Not only does bet365 in Hungary come forward with a website in Magyar; it also accepts Forint payments. Other funding options to make deposits in HUF include EntroPay, Skrill, Neteller, Click2Pay, and credit/debit card. As for those who register with bet365 .hu, there is also a generous welcome bonus to be claimed that will provide them with bet credits after making a qualifying deposit.

Unibet Hungary

This is yet another online bookmaker that has made their website available in Magyar. Besides accepting Hungarian players, the platform also allows Forint payments, which is validated by the fact that they promote a new customer offer in HUF. This refers to a risk-free first bet up to a certain amount. Despite the plethora of deposit options, though, the only withdrawal methods available at Unibet are bank transfer, Skrill, and Neteller.

William Hill Hungary

After going through some tough times in the past, when it was blacklisted by the Hungarian Department of Gambling Supervision in 2014, the British bookmaker has left all that behind and offers Hungarian bettors their very own Hungarian William Hill version. The operator does not yet accept Forint payments but has the most funding options available of all three other bookies on this list.

When comparing the state-owned operator, Tippmix, with the aforementioned international bookmakers that operate Hungary online betting sites, one quickly notices a huge difference in the available sports. With only 15 sports, the local operator cannot get anywhere near, say, Unibet’s 30+ or Bet365’s 40+ sports.

The odds are also not as competitive as those offered by international operators. As for services like live streaming, Tippmix offers it to only a handful of matches and games when foreign bookmakers include a much wider variety. Not to mention the wealth of bonuses and promotions international bookies host on their websites.

International Bookies that Accept Hungarian Forint

Among the leading bookmakers that offer Hungarian bettors the option to pay in Hungarian Forint are Magyar Bet 365, Unibet, 22Bet and Betfair. Betting with online bookies that allow you to fund your account with HUF is a big deal because you won’t need to convert your Forints to euros or another currency and worry about conversion fees.

Also note that although some operators do accept Forint deposits and accept bets placed in HUF, they will exchange Forint for Euros, Dollars, Pounds or another currency. Trying to figure out the exchange rate could be quite confusing at times.

Bookmakers that Exited the Market

Some of the bookies that originally offered their services to the Hungarian market decided to pull away. So, don’t waste your time on outdated lists. Among the sport betting sites in Hungary that have now exited the market are Ladbrokes, 10bet, Interwetten, Betsson and Betvictor.

Ladbrokes, on the other hand, decided to play safe and not risk violating UK’s new regime that requires all operators with a continued presence in a grey market (like Hungary) to be able to legally justify their activities (as long they earned them at least 3% of their total revenue).

Add to that the Hungary Gambling Supervision Department’s decision to blacklist Ladbrokes in 2014 for breaking the 1991 Act XXXIV gambling law, according to which a gambling company cannot operate in the country without first gaining a license from the Tax & Customs Administration, and it is easy to understand why the bookie exited the Hungarian market.

Another blacklisted bookie is 10bet which joined the list in 2014 as well. As for the other bookmakers that exited the Hungarian market, the complicated situation related to the online gambling legislation in the country probably left them with no other choice.

Can I use Hungarian Payments? 

Given that some banks are not allowed to clear transactions to and from gambling sites, it is best to refrain from using credit and debit cards. For instance, you can’t make a deposit at bet365 with a K&H-issued card.

However, you can definitely consider alternative payment methods that the particular operator and others accept; like e-wallets, such as Neteller or Skrill and vouchers, such as Paysafecard.

New Betting Sites in Hungary

The Hungarian online betting market hosts several new international and European bookies already. Some of the most promising betting sites within Hungary are:

Betwinner: They give you the option to select a Hungarian version of the site while they’re offering a plethora of payment options to choose from, including cryptocurrency. And, yes, they accept HUF. But, no signup promo.

Librabet: One of the few Hungarian betting sites that has it all. The bookie offers its services in the Hungarian language, accepts Forint for payments, and welcomes new players with a generous bonus.

The Future of the Hungarian Online Betting Market

Despite the Hungarian government's efforts to regulate the online gambling market, there is still a long road to be walked before any actual reforms take place. The revised 2013 betting law has not yet been enforced, which seriously delays market regulation.

Clearly, the new regulations are still biased to maintain the state monopoly, which explains why many credible and reputable offshore operators’ IPs are still blocked. The regime surrounding sports betting in Hungary has several pain points that need to be addressed before the Hungarian government can talk about really opening the market.

Gambling in the Neighbouring Countries

Bettors should always be curious about gambling in nearby countries because of their proximity and the different regulations they abide by. This can open up new opportunities and help you compare the overall situation to comply with local laws and regulations. Let's take a look at four of these neighbours: 

⏩ Austria: home to many international bookmakers, the country has a fully regulated gambling market. The Austria betting sites have a rich list of legal operators, though unlicensed bookies are by far the favourites. 

⏩ Serbia: is another EU country that attempted to legalize and regulate both land-based and online operators fully. Many international operators abide by local laws and offer licensed online betting, but unlicensed Serbia betting sites are becoming more and more popular in the absence of any repercussions. 

⏩ Slovakia: has legal gambling and offers football, horse racing, and ice hockey betting options. Though online gambling is supposed to be licensed by the government to offer services, the Slovakia betting sites have no restrictions, and here too, are more popular.

⏩ The Czech Republic: With almost half of the population actively gambling, this country ranks second in Europe with the most land-based operators per capita. Some bookmakers have obtained local licenses while most of the Czech betting sites have not and resort to mirror sites to avoid blacklisting.