Hungary reviews major concessions and addresses banking sector demands

The Hungarian government is conducting reviews of various concession agreements, including those in the casino, food industry, and waste management sectors. A key focus is the casino business involving István Garancsi and Árpád Habony. Previous legislative changes allowed casinos to deduct concession fees from gambling taxes, which reportedly cost the budget approximately 60 billion forints between 2014 and 2025. The review process is expected to fall under the jurisdiction of the new leadership at the National Concession Office (NKOI).

Simultaneously, the Hungarian banking sector is calling for concrete policy decisions from the government. While the relationship between financial institutions and the administration has become more open, the Hungarian Banking Association is urging the reduction of special taxes and the removal of the interest rate cap. The association notes that the sector has paid 2,654 billion forints in bank and extra profit taxes between 2010 and 2026. Banks are also seeking more predictable mortgage regulations and oppose the reopening of foreign currency loan settlement cases, maintaining that previous settlements resolved the issue.