Zbigniew Macioszek, a prominent member of the largest land-based casino operator in Poland, Casinos Poland, has expressed his thoughts on government regulation of online casinos in his country.

With the recent explosion in online gambling there, he feels this would be a good step for Poland.

Casinos Poland, which was launched in 1988 and claims to have a 55.28 % share of the domestic market, operates seven full casinos throughout the nation alongside six slots venues and is owned by LOT Polish Airlines, Polish Airports State Enterprise and G5, a subsidiary of Century Casinos.

“The only state that made (online gambling sites) legal is Malta but the regulations are so heavy that if any other country were to legalize the industry it would attract investors immediately,” Macioszek told the Warsaw Business Journal newspaper. “I cannot see any reason why Poland should not do it.”

He added that the legalization and development of online gambling would create a great deal of synergy with traditional casinos as the popularity of virtual gambling grows rapidly in Poland. He also pointed out that the country’s outdated legal system, written 20 years ago, should be looked over. He claimed many borrowed regulations were now obsolete.

“The need for gambling is as universal as the need for other types of entertainment and it is visible in every culture,’ said Macioszek. “Poland is no different in that respect from any other country.”

The Warsaw Business Journal reported that online gambling is an issue that elicits mixed emotions from regulators and industry insiders alike with Macioszek stating that a new legal framework is needed. “(The current framework) was created almost 20 years ago from scratch with a lot of regulations copied from other countries,” said Macioszek.

“Thus, a number of regulations are obsolete or inapplicable in the current context. In Poland, we fall under the government’s customs department, which does not have much time to focus on the branch and does not understand it.”