Hungary’s state-owned gambling operator Szerencsejáték Zrt has appointed Dr Marcell Olajos as Chairman and member of its Board of Directors following a decision by Finance Minister András Kármán.
Dr Zoltán Horváth has also joined the Board of Directors, while several existing members have left as part of the leadership changes. Dr Krisztina Rédey, Dr Szabolcs Imre Ágostházy, Dr Gábor Bordás and Zsófia Illés-Puka were removed from their positions, while Dr Marianna Gabriella Poltné Palásthy resigned from the board.
The changes took effect on 15 July 2026 and come as the Government seeks to increase transparency and strengthen oversight at the operator. Local media previously reported allegations that Szerencsejáték Zrt’s board included members appointed due to their political connections under the former Government.
The Finance Minister Kármán said the reshuffle represents a move towards greater efficiency. He wrote on social media: ‘’At Szerencsejáték Zrt., political influence and undue advantage are a thing of the past; in the future, operations must be transparent, clean, legal and efficient.’’
Previously, Kármán accused the operator of directing revenues towards “propaganda purposes” instead of transferring profits to the state treasury, while pledging stronger financial oversight of state-owned enterprises.
The new Government signalled potential changes for Hungary’s gambling sector, which has come under increased scrutiny following recent regulatory interventions and public debate surrounding lottery operations and casino ownership structures.
In earlier news from the country, billionaire István Garancsi became the majority owner of Sopron Casino after the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) approved his company’s transition from minority to majority shareholder.
Garancsi now owns seven Hungarian casinos, including the Sopron venue, five in Budapest and one in Debrecen. Only the casinos in Miskolc, Győr and Pécs remain outside his portfolio.
Hungary also tightened restrictions on prediction market platform Polymarket earlier this year, citing concerns related to unlicensed gambling operations
