Best Betting Sites in Slovenia

Slovenia is a beautiful country located in Central Europe with a relatively small population. Among the things that Slovenians enjoy the most is online betting, with more than half of the overall population being active gamblers. However, the current state of online gambling does not give Slovenes the freedom and advantages that come from having multiple local options to choose from.

Although the government has tried to regulate the sports betting market with the 1995 Gambling Act, the online aspect has been left out in its entirety. The majority of international off-shore bookmakers and freely accessible to its residents.

Best Slovenia Betting Sites

The betting sites you will find listed are selected based on whether they offer their services in Slovene, enable local payments and other market-specific criteria.

Betting in Slovenia - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age in Slovenia is 18
• 2
  Any attempts to regulate the online betting and gambling market in Slovenia died a sudden death, leaving it a grey area
• 3
  Slovenian players can bet on any international bookmaker without the fear of prosecution
• 4
  Bettors do not pay taxes on their online gambling activities with foreign operators
• 5
  The only operator with a state license is E-stave

General info

⏩Population: 2.089.310

⏩Active Players: 1.477.659

⏩Currency: Euro

⏩Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse racing betting, lottery, casino games

⏩Designated authority: Slovenian Ministry of Finance

⏩Operator types: Land-based lottery, casino and sports betting sites

⏩Status: Non regulated - grey gambling market

Online Betting in Slovenia

The 1995 Slovenian Gambling Act was the first law that attempted to govern gambling in the country. However, it did not address online betting. Plus, it encourages a monopoly of Sportna Loterija (E-stave) as it is the sole operator in possession of classic games license. To date, the current legal situation remains the same.

The market is still unregulated and there are no foreign bookies holding a legal license. As for the tax model for bookmakers, they are called to pay 5% tax on gross gaming revenue. With literally no laws in place, the Slovenian government is not enforcing ISP-blocking on foreign bookies.

This means free access for Slovenians, who can choose any of the international betting sites they wish to bet on, without risking to be prosecuted for it. Provided, of course, that they are at least 18 years old. Add to that the fact that they won’t need to pay any taxes for their winnings (those coming from offshore bookmakers that is) – winnings deriving from E-stave are subject to tax according to Slovenian law - and one can quickly understand why an increasing number of players favor international bookmakers.

Which .com Bookmakers Accept Players from Slovenia?

There are several international bookmakers that accept Slovenian players. Below, you will find a list of those worth betting on based on a plethora of criteria, including their betting markets and sports offered, along with other handy services and functions. Three of the top bookmakers taking players from Slovenia are:

Bet365 Slovenia

Bet365 Slovenija impresses right from the very start with a generous welcome offer which could be anything from free bets, to bonus bet credits. It is known for the variety of sports that it offers, as you can choose among 40+ of them and for the diverse betting markets. Bet365 SLO provides a long list of payment options, such as credit-debit cards, e-wallets and bank transfer.

Bet-at-home Slovenija

Bet-at-home SLO entices with great odds on the top 5 European football leagues and more than 7000 betting markets offered daily on 35+ sports. It has great promotions and gives players the option to deposit with any of the well-known international payment methods instantly. It also has Slovene language interface and even offers its customer service in Slovenski.

William Hill Slovenia

With a site that comes with all the major deposit methods, such as Skrill, Neteller and PayPal and plenty of interesting promotions destined for Slovenian players; is hard not to include William Hill on this list. Furthermore, one can find a plethora of betting selections and very competitive odds on the top events of 33 sports in total.

Comparing International Bookies to Sportna Loterija (E-stave)

It becomes apparent that compared to the state-owned operator, Sportna Loterija (E-stave), these international bookmakers are light years ahead. For instance, the 15 sports that are being offered at E-stave are nowhere near the 45 different sports available at Bet365 Slovenija, the more than 30 at William Hill, and the 35+ at Bet-at-home.

Also, don’t expect to find top football leagues at E-stave the magnitude of Champions League or Europa League. As for the odds provided, it is a service where E-stave falls behind too.

Betting sites with the Slovene language

If you are after a bookmaker with a Slovene interface, you may consider Bet-at-home which offers its website in Slovenian. Let’s also note that in Bet-at-home you may contact if you wish a customer support agent via chat or email in Slovenski.

Bookmakers that Exited the Market

Some bookies no longer accept Slovenian players. Given that there is no point wasting time going through lists that include bookmakers that have pulled away from the Slovenian market, it is critical to know your options. Three notable examples of such bookmakers are:

Pinnacle
As of March 2017, Pinnacle has decided to close all Slovenian player accounts after the introduction of the new online gambling framework that came to replace the 1995 gambling regulations. Under the new national gambling framework, all operators that do not have a license from the Slovenian Ministry of Finance may not target local bettors. Pinnacle does not show any intention to gain a Slovenian online gambling license for the time being.

888sport
In 2016, 888sport decided to exit the Slovenian market, leaving the door open, though. They said they would return as soon as the new online gaming bill was adopted, which would allow international operators to apply for local licenses. Nonetheless, the much-anticipated law was turned down eventually due to receiving a limited number of votes from the members of the parliament in March 2018.

BetStars
At the same time when 888sport was withdrawing its services from the country, BetStars decided to leave all grey markets, including that of Slovenia. So, since 2016, the bookmaker no longer operates in Slovenia because the country did not have proper gambling laws to help regulate online gambling.

How to Deposit at Online Bookies

Some of the most commonly used payment methods for Slovenian players in search of performing financial transactions with an online gaming website are: major credit and debit cards (Visa and MasterCard), e-wallets (i.e. Neteller, PayPal and Skrill), prepaid cards (see Paysafecard betting sites) and Bank transfer.

As for local banks, NLB and SKB also enable SEPA payments and personal accounts for both residents and non-residents of Slovenia to make deposits and withdrawals from or to a betting account easier.

The Future of Online Betting in Slovenia

Given that the online gambling market remains a grey area that is not yet regulated, even after all the attempts MP Branko Zorman has put forward to liberalize online betting (the bill was turned down, leading to Zorman’s resignation in 2018); it appears that the current monopoly will hold strong.

And, despite the opposition by operators that wish to get into the market legally, which may lead to either a relaxation in the online gambling laws or a crack-down on international sites, the current state of affairs will probably stay as it is – with a single officially licensed bookmaker and many more operating in a grey zone.

Gambling in the Neighbouring Countries

When in Slovenia, you might be interested in gambling in nearby countries that are easily accessible. Knowing the legal framework in each of these countries might prove beneficial while making sure you are abiding by the law. Here are brief introductions of some of the most notable destinations around Slovenia:

⏩ Croatia: this top tourist destination offers legal and regulated activities for all bettors. With land-based and online licensed operators, the Croatia betting sites are also open for international bookmakers without restrictions.

⏩ Switzerland: has a fully regulated market and a variety of luxurious casinos and gambling operators licensed by federal laws. Though some online bookmakers are compliant with local laws, sports betting in Switzerland is also open for international brands, and there has been no prosecution for players who opt for them.

⏩ Italy: is another EU country that has been applying strict regulations both land-based and online. Though many companies exited the market, Italian bookmakers offer an unlimited choice for locals with high odds and competitive promotions.