Hungarian Government Orders Review of SZTFH Gambling Regulator With Dissolution Under Consideration
TL;DR — Hungary’s government is reviewing the SZTFH five years after its 2021 creation, weighing abolition and reassignment of gambling oversight to direct state bodies. The move follows controversies including a 35-year casino licence award without tender and aligns with post-Orbán reforms at Szerencsejáték Zrt. Findings are due by month-end.
SCCG Take — Centralizing functions risks reducing regulatory independence while sharpening enforcement focus. Operators should prepare for possible licensing and compliance changes.
Hungary’s new government has placed the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH) under formal review, casting doubt on the future of the country’s gambling regulator. A resolution published in the state gazette Magyar Közlöny directs an evaluation of the SZTFH’s operations and the legal framework established under Act XXXII of 2021. Justice Minister Márta Görög must deliver findings by the end of the month on whether to abolish the authority and reassign its duties to bodies under direct government control.
The SZTFH, created five years ago, oversees gambling alongside mining, geology, legal professions and tobacco sales. It has drawn criticism for awarding a 35-year casino licence to CAI Hungary Kft without a public tender process. In a statement, the regulator defended its record, citing “achieved significant results in eliminating illegal online gaming organisers” and “tens of thousands” of inspections targeting underage tobacco sales and illegal online retailers.
“The Regulated Activities Supervisory Authority will, of course, cooperate in every way with the minister designated in the Government Resolution in order to effectively complete the legal due diligence, taking full account of the applicable legal environment,” the regulator said.
Context of the New Administration’s Reforms
Péter Magyar took office on May 9, ending the 16-year reign of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government. As reported by Focus Gaming News, the TISZA Party administration is reviewing multiple state bodies, including the lottery and sports betting operator Szerencsejáték Zrt. Finance and economy minister András Kármán dismissed former chairman Zoltán Guller in June and appointed Marcell Olajos in his place.
Kármán said the moves fulfill pledges to remove “political influence and unauthorised advantage” and install “corruption-free and transparent management.” The government is also examining gambling revenue allocation, including sponsorships and public funding distributed in the prior era. Szerencsejáték Zrt retains exclusive rights to the Hungarian national lottery and continues to dominate sports betting after the online market opened to European Economic Area operators in 2023.
Forward Path for Oversight
The review’s outcome will determine whether Hungary consolidates regulatory powers under tighter government structures. Operators holding licences and the state operator itself face potential shifts in compliance expectations and approval processes once Görög reports back. Any transfer of functions could alter enforcement priorities around illegal gambling and licensing transparency in the near term.
Reporting: Focus Gaming News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
New government is cleaning house; operators face potential licensing shifts if Hungary dissolves its regulator and centralizes oversight.
We've tracked Hungary since the SZTFH launched in 2021. This isn't housekeeping — it's a wholesale re-evaluation of gambling governance under a new administration scrubbing out the old guard. Operators with Hungarian licenses or expansion plans need to prepare for rule changes, new compliance expectations, and possible tender processes where cronyism once ruled.
- Justice Minister must report by month-end on whether to abolish SZTFH and move gambling oversight to direct government bodies
- Review follows scandal over 35-year casino licence awarded without tender under previous Orbán administration
- New TISZA government already ousted Szerencsejáték Zrt leadership, signaling broader anti-corruption sweep
SCCG angle: SCCG has guided partners through regime changes across 30+ markets. If Hungary rewrites the rulebook, we connect operators to local advisors, compliance specialists, and government-relations veterans who know how to navigate transitions like this without missing a beat or a license renewal.
Gaming, betting and prediction markets — the desk’s read, every weekday.
Subscribe →