Szerencsejáték Zrt., Hungary’s state-owned gaming operator, accelerated a restructuring of governance, marketing and procurement on August 20, 2026, under the supervision of the new Ministry of Finance, with the stated goal of strengthening transparency, competition and control over the use of public resources. The company, 100% owned by the Hungarian state, generated more than €3 billion in revenue in 2025 and approximately €447 million in taxes and regulatory payments.
The changes were formally announced on August 5, 2026 and involve abandoning the previous centralized agency model, ending the relationship with Lounge Group, and moving toward a multi-agency structure. For the remainder of 2026, Szerencsejáték plans to hold three closed invitation-only tenders to cover short-term needs in marketing, media planning and buying, printing, public relations, social media and event organization. The company then plans to open public tenders for multi-year contracts.
The review is taking place under Finance Minister András Kármán, who is overseeing a broader assessment of state-owned companies, sponsorships, grants and governance. In July, Dr. Marcell Olajos was appointed chairman of Szerencsejáték’s board, replacing Zoltán Guller. The board also includes Zoltán Horváth and Olivér Csendes, while Balázs Pozsgai serves as acting CEO.
The executive structure also includes Tamás Sándor Szász, Director of Marketing and Communications; Krisztián Brenkus, Commercial Director; Zoltán Horváth, Director of Games & Innovation; Zoltán Szántó, IT Director; and Réka Bertényi, Human Resources Director.
The review also extends to sponsorships managed through Szerencsejáték Service Nonprofit Kft. Its latest newly registered sponsorship agreement dates from April 9, 2026, with no new awards recorded in May or June. A previous media investigation estimated that, between 2015 and May 2024, more than HUF 15 billion was distributed in sponsorships, of which approximately HUF 9.2 billion, or 61%, allegedly went to recipients linked to the former government network.
