The Polish government wants to remove all non-casino slot machines from operation over a five-year period.

According to the Warsaw Business Journal, there are more than 50,000 slots located in bars, stores and other locations around the country. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the plan is to reduce that number by at least 10,000 machines each year.

The first step will be to raise the monthly fee for each machine from the current €180 to €480.

The Warsaw Voice reports that applications for machine license renewals will be denied, adding to the attrition.

The new legislation being drafted also sets out to ban online gaming by allowing the government to monitor connections between Polish ISPs and online gaming websites and payment facilitators.

New concessions for casinos and new and higher gaming taxes are also being proposed, as well as a ban on advertising that promotes gambling.

It will be illegal for people under 18 to gamble.

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.