Slovakia Bans All Betting During Pope Francis’ Funeral

Slovakia has officially declared a national day of mourning for the funeral of Pope Francis, during which all forms of gambling will be suspended, according to a report by iGaming Business.

The government announced that from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on April 26, all betting and gaming operations must come to a halt. The country’s gambling regulator, URHH, has already sent out notices to licensed operators, instructing them to pause all wagering activity during that time frame.

The ban will apply across the board, including the state-run National Lottery operated by Tipos. However, the regulator clarified that operators may still publish results of games that were completed prior to the mourning period.

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88 after a long illness, will be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Earlier, we reported that Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market, had launched betting markets on who would be named the next Pope.