It’s a cool evening in Milan, though the temperature has been on the rise of late. A small but attentive crowd has gathered at Giacomo Caffe as the sun begins to set. However, little do they know, they are in for quite a treat. Milan Rabszski, the famed Polish expert who created TopKasynoOnline with the motto “stworzono przez Polaków dla Polaków” (“created by Poles for Poles”), is on tour in Italy and is spending time getting to know the gambling culture in the city he shares his name with.
And it is in this cafe that Milan was able to find a receptive audience for his talk. What started as a conversation evolved naturally into a lecture under the name “Blackjack Kasyno Online” and Milan, true to his name, felt right at home.
So, “Ciao Milano od Milana” – and let’s dive in!
The Game and Its Polish Conquest
Blackjack most likely began in French casinos around about 1700. Researchers are currently debating “Vingt-et-Un’s” exact roots. “Oh! Venti-Uno!”, chimed an enthusiastic audience member to Milan’s pleasant surprise. “Yes! Twenty-one, ‘Chemin de Fer’, a popular card game during that period, is most likely at the origins of the game,” Milan adds. During the days of King Louis XV, the card game was played at the French Royal Court.
Sopot, Poland’s first casino, opened its doors in 1920. It was a great location for a casino, drawing in visitors from around the country and surrounding areas. Only adults over the age of 18 were allowed into the casino, which offered games such as Blackjack.
“I remember my grandfather narrating his experience at the casino. He took his brother to Sopot after he graduated. Health spas, sandy beaches, and a casino, I always thought it was a great way to celebrate graduation,” Milan recalled with a faint smile.
Blackjack over the Last Decade
The Ministry of Finance regulates all forms of gambling in Poland, including Poland’s many Internet casinos. Gambling law changed in Poland in 2009, rendering it considerably more difficult for Polish gamers to go online and play casino games or bet on sporting events.
“Polish gambling businesses are unable to set up casino sites in the country, yet there are still a large number of foreign casinos accepting Polish customers. This only goes to show that nothing stops us Polish players from playing in casinos that accept Polish gamblers. We fill up on Bułka z pieczarkami and drive down to Total Casino or hop online!”, chuckles Milan. 60% of the gamblers prefer online gambling, primarily due to the pandemic whose name we dare not utter.
Blackjack has seen a rise in popularity among the Polish over the last decade. With the online casinos offering live dealers, players form a beeline for the in-person gambling experience. BlackJack is very popular among Polish players due to its easy access and simple yet smart strategies. In European countries, for instance in Italy, players enjoy scratch cards, lottos, and slot machines. Card games are only accessible online, so the number of people gambling has dropped by 20%.
Nevertheless, according to our research at TopKasynoOnline, BlackJack attracts 45% of all players while the rest of them are split among Poker, Baccarat, and Roulette. This is a large audience compared to the players in other countries. For instance, in Italy, 30% of players play BlackJack, which is edged out by Poker.
Polish Blackjack Strategies
“Polish gamblers are smart,” Milan explains. “You have to be, because blackjack is a thinking person’s game.” There are tons of strategies. The first one involves staying with a hand of 12 or 13. Many beginners will go for another card at this stage, but that could mean a loss.”
Another strategy, he says, is to not let go of tens. “Giving up tens might feel like a good idea, but why do that when you’re already holding a strong 20? Give up something smaller, especially if you get the feeling that the dealer doesn’t have a strong hand.”
What Kinds of Blackjack Give Poles a Gaming Time?
Thanks to Milan’s website, TopKasynoOnline, Poles know where to play blackjack and how to get there. And, like any sane casino going people, they prefer the best of the best.
“Bovada, BetOnline, 7Bit Casino, Ignition Casino, and SuperSlots,” Milan counts out with his fingers. “That’s where most of us play, so come say ‘Hi’ whenever.”
Will Blackjack Remain Popular Heading into the Future?
Blackjack is one of the cornerstones of a casino, much like slots. “To have a casino without blackjack is like saying pineapple on pizza is a good thing,” Milan explains to raucous applause. “That’s like a casino not accepting Blik, Przelewy24, Paysafecard, Bitcoin, or Ecopayz, all of which are popular at Polish casinos as well as in TopKasynoOnline ;), might I add.”
The 1980s were the true heyday of blackjack, when the game accounted for about 77% of all casino revenue worldwide. By 2018, it had slipped to 48%. However, Milan says that data only came from land-based casinos. The rise of online casinos and gaming have made the game available to people of all ages and the numbers of people playing continues to grow.
In Poland, despite the monopoly of the gambling sphere, people still find a way to enjoy online casinos and the many, many popular blackjack tournaments that are held throughout the Internet. The star of blackjack will not be fading anytime soon.
Where to Play Blackjack in Poland
“So the online space in Poland is monopolized,” says a young man. “Where can I play if I visit Poland in person?”
“It’s best if you work it into your travel plans,” Milan advises. He starts at Warsaw and points out Orbis Casino Victoria Hotel, leading him to the other famous Orbis Casino–Grand Hotel Sopot, the first casino in the country. He then suggests Plaza Hotel and Casino in Wroclaw, as well as the Grand Casino City of Bydgoszcz http://topkasynoonline.com/kasyna-w-bydgoszczy/.
Offline Blackjack & Online Blackjack in Poland
“It is impossible to know for sure how many Poles play online blackjack,” laments Milan, seeking solace in a slice of margherita. With the legal issues, running a survey is dangerous. And the pandemic has all but shut down the land-based casino business, so it will take time before new numbers arrive, but, as always, he remains positive.
“Us Poles have always found a way,” he concludes as his new friends raise a toast. “And we’ll hold true to our blackjack ways.”
For more information and the latest news in the Polish gambling market, you can subscribe to Milan’s podcast topkasynoonline.buzzsprout.com/. You can also directly contact the editorial office in Warsaw at Złota 59, 00-120, make a phone call +48 22 595 14 00, or send them an email: topkasynoonline@gmail.com.
Note: Unfortunately, gambling is illegal in Poland, so the content in this article is used only for informational purposes and available to users outside of Poland.
