70 Years of Totalizator Sportowy: From Building Sports Grounds to Supporting Culture

Totalizator Sportowy is celebrating 70 years with an exhibition in Poland’s Sejm that presents the company’s journey from building sports facilities to supporting culture and other social aims.

The company was established in 1955 in response to the needs of Polish sport, which lacked adequate infrastructure. State-run lotteries were intended to provide money for building and renovating sports facilities and equipment. Beata Stelmach, the company’s president, said Totalizator grew from the aspirations of Olympic athletes who dreamed of competing internationally while Poland lacked the arenas and sports grounds needed to develop future medalists.

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Totalizator grew from the heartfelt aspirations of Olympic athletes who dreamed of competing on international stages and sharing in success. Yet the country lacked the arenas and sports grounds where gold medalists could be developed.

Over seven decades, the company’s financial role has broadened. Totalizator says its payments to the state reached 5.75 billion zlotys in 2025. That included 3.37 billion zlotys in gaming tax and 1.82 billion zlotys in contributions to funds supporting areas such as physical culture, culture and efforts to address gambling problems.

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Without this money, we could not renovate more than 1,600 Orliks or invest in projects to build new facilities, sports grounds, halls and swimming pools.

According to company data, 19.4 billion zlotys has gone to Polish sport since 1994, while more than 4.3 billion zlotys has been transferred to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage since 2003. Sport Minister Jacek Rutnicki said last year’s funding alone exceeded 1.4 billion zlotys and helped support renovations of more than 1,600 Orlik sports complexes, along with new sports grounds, halls and swimming pools.

The company’s cultural role now includes cooperation with the National Fryderyk Chopin Institute. In 2025, Totalizator became the Main Partner of the International Chopin Piano Competition for the third time. It has also hosted the Służewiec Horse Race Track since 2008. Józef Banach, chair of the company’s supervisory board, said its mission involves not only financial contributions but also its own resources and direct support for cultural projects.

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Totalizator Sportowy consistently carries out its mission not only by supporting sport but also culture. This does not consist only of contributions, as Totalizator provides its own resources and offers support.