Hungary Parliament Removes Gambling Regulator’s Concession Powers

The Hungarian Parliament has voted to strip the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH) of its power to manage gambling concession agreements.

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The move comes just months after the April 2026 election, which brought the TISZA party to power and installed Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government in May. The new administration has already signalled that SZTFH will be abolished altogether, with its responsibilities divided among other state institutions according to a Global Gaming Insider report.

The first step in this restructuring will be the dismantling of the Concession Council, which had been central to SZTFH’s role.

A massive shakeup

SZTFH was created in 2021 under the previous government to oversee gambling alongside unrelated sectors such as tobacco, cybersecurity and mining. Critics argued that the authority’s wide remit reflected political connections rather than regulatory logic.

The new government wasted little time after taking office in May, announcing sweeping changes to the gambling sector and criticising the former Orbán administration for weak oversight and poor transparency.

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One of its first measures was to tighten anti‑money laundering rules, requiring operators to carry out more detailed risk assessments. At the same time, the leadership of the state‑owned betting company Szerencsejáték Zrt was reshuffled, following reports that its board had been filled with politically connected figures. 

By summer, the new management signalled that casino concessions themselves would be reviewed. Media reports revealed that, in the weeks before the spring election, the previous government rushed through long‑term concession deals in several cities, including Szeged, Győr, Miskolc, Pécs, Debrecen and Sopron.

Some contracts run for as long as 35 years, raising concerns about entrenched influence and nepotism. Minister for Transport and Investment Dávid Vitézy noted these issues and pledged to examine how the concessions were awarded, as well as the broader system that governs casino operating rights.

Together with Parliament’s decision to strip SZTFH of its concession powers, these steps show that Hungary’s gambling sector is entering a period of deep restructuring as it suffers low channelization rates due to its restrictive single-concession model.

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