Most Popular Bookies in Serbia

Even though the betting history of Serbia stretches back to the Second World War, the first instance of legal betting started in 1964 when Serbia was part of the socialist federation of Yugoslavia. In those days, the federal law considered classical and special games of choice as two different activities.

Special games of choice were offered in casinos targeted at tourists only. The locals were not allowed to play such. And so, they could only participate in classical games of choice. All betting operators had to seek the government's approval.

The country's gambling sector has since grown into a profitable and regulated industry. It plays a significant role in the growth of the tourism industry. When Serbia gained independence, all betting laws were relaxed so that everyone could play casino games and sports betting freely. However, an economic crisis saw many gambling houses go bankrupt.

In 2000, a new decree was put in place to make a state monopoly the overseer of betting operations across the country. Then, a legislative bill was proposed in 2004 to split betting into four classes and recognize online betting for State Lottery. The law was officially enacted in 2005.

It was speculated that Serbia was considering further regulation of the online betting market in 2014. Despite this, there has yet to be any indication of this. Everything seems to be as it was with a couple of local betting sites and numerous offshore platforms. Serbia applied to join the European Union in 2009 and is expected to be an EU member by 2025.

As expected, this will bring many changes in the gambling jurisdiction whereby EU licensed bookmakers would be allowed to provide their services freely to the Serbs. In 2020, the laws were indeed amended to fit the EU directives. Private companies can now obtain local licenses but take social responsibility in promoting betting and eliminating match-fixing.

Even though no international sportsbooks have been granted a local license, no one has been prosecuted so far for accessing these sites. It would make sense if the Serbian government granted offshore sites licenses to function freely in the future. It will be a giant step, especially compared to many European countries.

The country is in the right direction to make online sports betting work for the fans, operators, and regulators. This will bring an immense diversity in the sports betting industry and significant revenue as Serbia joins the EU.

Serbian legislation on gambling is not as rigorous as in other nations. Many locals sign up to unlicensed providers without incrimination. The only problem of betting in unlicensed sites is the lack of government-backed protection for customer data. The legality of a site is usually indicated at the bottom of the homepage.

Most sites put licensing information at the footer. Even the legal betting apps in Serbia have adopted this as a standard practice. Interestingly, Serbia is one of the few countries that doesn't charge punters taxes when they win bets.

Serbian authorities once imposed an ISP blacklist in 2012. News had it that about 70 foreign online betting sites were to be blocked with the help of local ISPs. Some of the world-renowned operators were on the censorship list, but Serbian ISPs disagreed with this move, so it didn't succeed. If the new gambling law (intended to replace the Games of Chance Act) is passed, there will be a restriction on the location of bookmakers and slot machines.

They should be placed more than 200m away from schools and pedestrian paths and 100m from other betting establishments. Moreover, the law will enforce digital surveillance to monitor illegal sites that will eventually be closed by the Gambling Authority.

Online bookmakers in Serbia offer opportunities to bet on popular sports. However, punters are not limited to the list highlighted below. They can bet on any sport they want after registering on the recommended websites on this page.

Football

Football leagues in Serbia are managed by the FSS or Football Association of Serbia. Serbian Superliga is a top-tier league followed by the Serbian First League and Serbian League. Another popular football club in the country is the Red Star Belgrade. As expected, football bets are extremely popular, and the available markets and events are virtually limitless.

Players have a chance to wager on various matches every day. Besides the American Football, NFL, Serbian bettors also bet on Nacionalna Liga Srbije, which is the American Football league of Serbia. They also bet on international leagues like the UEFA and Premier League.

Baseball

Top sports betting sites in Serbia provide a decent selection of baseball events such as NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball), which comes with such bets as prop, run line, money line, and totals.

Other Sports

Tennis is among the supported games in Serbian sports betting platforms. Serbs love to wager on ATP finals and the Serbia Open Tennis Tournament. In basketball, bettors are keen on the FIBA championship league, EuroCup, and EuroLeague. Last but not least is golf betting, especially on the Open Championship finals. Tournaments such as European Tour, Champion Tour, and PGA Tour are common options for local gamblers.

Are all betting sites for Serbian players licensed?

Numerous sports betting sites from other countries accept Serbs even if they are not licensed in Serbia. While they are technically illegal to operate in the country, they follow the gambling laws of their countries of origin. Since they follow their jurisdictions, they are not obligated to adhere to Serbian legislation.

What offers do Serbian sportsbooks provide?

The best sports betting sites in Serbia give free bets, matched deposits, cashback rewards, and improved odds. Based on the site itself, punters may have additional choices to make their experience more thrilling.

Is there live sports betting in Serbia?

Yes. Live bets are available for Serbian punters. Many betting sites have incorporated the live-streaming feature where players place bets on events happening in real-time.

Is elections betting allowed in Serbia?

Yes. It is possible to bet on political elections on the condition that one has attained the minimum legal age of 18 years.

Is a sports betting app better than the web version of a site?

Top sports betting companies provide apps that have the same functionalities as the web version of the sportsbook. There isn't anything special about an app except that it is more portable than using a desktop computer. An app makes betting on smartphones incredibly easy. Players can use the app anywhere and anytime on mobile.