Poland's BLIK Payment System Blocks Illegal Gambling Sites

Poland's mobile payment system BLIK began cross-referencing every transaction against the country's registry of illegal gambling operators starting September 1, automatically blocking transfers directed to sites on that list, according to a report by The Warsaw.

The updated rules extend beyond Poland's domestic payment infrastructure, also covering payments processed through foreign settlement agents. The measure adds an additional enforcement layer targeting the payment channels illegal gambling operators rely on to process transactions from Polish players, building on the country's existing website blocking and advertising restrictions.

For unlicensed operators and their affiliate partners, the change means payment reliability now factors more heavily into overall operational stability, as transactions routed to flagged domains face automatic blocking regardless of the payment method's origin. The expanded scope covering foreign settlement agents suggests Polish authorities are working to close gaps that previously allowed illegal operators to route around domestic payment restrictions through international processing channels.