Gambling is defined by the primary gambling legislation in Romania as an activity that has the following cumulative characteristics:

• a participation fee;
• the random selection of results on which the game is based;
• monetary winnings; and
• a public offering.

Further on, the same legislation stipulates that gambling includes also those products meeting the above characteristics, but where the result is determined without the involvement of the operator, even if such result is not randomly generated (e.g. sports betting on real events).

The conditions under which the organisation and operation of games of chance are permitted in Romania are outlined in the following normative acts:

• Government Emergency Ordinance No 77/2009 on the organisation and operation of games of chance (GEO 77/2009) – this piece of regulation represents the primary gambling legislation in Romania which highlights the main licensing requirements, defines the category of gambling for which a license may be obtained, lists the sanctions for infringement of the regulation etc.
• Government Decision No 111/2016 for the approval of the methodological norms for the implementation of Government Emergency Ordinance No 77/2009 on the organisation and operation of games of chance (GD 111/2016) – this represents the secondary gambling legislation which further details the licensing and operational requirements applicable for all categories of games of chance defined in the primary legislation;
• Government Emergency Ordinance No 20/2013 on the establishment, organisation and functioning of the National Gambling Office – this piece of legislation regulates the main attributions of the Romanian gambling regulator.

Gambling activities are also regulated by means of instructions, orders or decisions issued by the National Gambling Office in relation to various aspects of gambling activity, such as:

• the certification of online gambling platforms;
• interconnection protocols and reporting requirements for slot machines; and
• reporting of the revenues obtained by both land-based and online operators.

Moreover, certain requirements in the AML field are also applicable to gambling activities, and were initially contained in Law 129/2019, which implements the Fourth and Fifth AML Directives. The gambling regulator also issued sectorial norms/instructions clarifying how the AML regime must be implemented specifically in the field of gambling.

The National Gambling Office (ONJN) is the public authority competent to supervise and control the Romanian gambling market and to grant licences and authorisations to gambling operators.

a. What is the duration of a licence?

The standard duration of the license is 10 years, with the exception of temporary licenses granted for limited products (e.g. land-based gambling on leisure crafts) which are valid for 3 months.

The standard duration of a gambling authorization is 1 year (and this must be renewed on annual basis as long as the license is valid).

b. What types of licences are available?

Romanian legislation regulates the following types of licences:

• Class 1 licence and related authorisation(s) – these are the permits that must be obtained by a B2C operator in order to offer gambling services on the Romanian market (irrespective of whether this relates to land-based or online gambling).
• Class 2 licence – this licence is required for B2B providers, specialising in the gambling industry, that supply products/services to B2C operators licensed in Romania. The categories of B2B suppliers for which the ONJN has issued Class 2 licences are as follows:

(ii) software providers;
(iii) providers of platform management and hosting services;
(iv) providers of live casino streaming services;
(v) certification laboratories, auditors and conformity assessment bodies;
(vi) payment processors
(vii) marketing affiliates
(viii) data centres for the safe and mirror servers placed in Romania and used by online operators

• Class 3 licence – this licence is granted by benefit of law to the Romanian National Lottery, which has a legal monopoly over the organisation of land-based and online lottery games.

c. Are there different types of licences for B2C and B2B operators?

Yes, B2C operators need to acquire a Class 1 license and authorization, while specialized B2B providers need to acquire one (or more, if needed) Class 2 licenses.

d. Do software suppliers need to be licensed?

Yes, suppliers of specialized gambling software need to obtain a Class 2 license in order to develop and/or supply their products for the Romanian market.

The Romanian legislation stipulates that the following products are prohibited and the organization of such activities may trigger criminal liability:

• fraudulent games of chance;
• games of chance through radio channels or through other assimilated transmission means;
• games of chance based on the results of clandestine competitions, such as dog fighting or illegal car racing;
• clandestine games of chance, where the results of the game are influenced by the skill of the person operating the game for the purpose of obtaining revenues, rather than being random; and
• competition games with winnings of any type – offered through telephone lines or other communication systems, television or radio – where the granting of prizes is based solely on the accuracy of the answers provided to general questions, which involve a participation fee.

Eligibility

As a core rule, only operators based in Romania or by exemption in the EU, EEA or Swiss Confederation may apply for a B2C licence and authorisation. Should the operator be based in the EU, EEA or Swiss Confederation, the company must register in Romania a permanent establishment for tax purposes in Romania as a requirement for obtaining the license and authorisation.

Land-based operations

In order to carry out land-based gambling activities in Romania, an operator must complete the following main steps: (i) obtain a Class 1 gambling licence from the ONJN; (ii) obtain a local operating authorisation from the competent local public authority for the proposed gambling premises (a new legal requirement enforced as of end of February 2026); and (iii) obtain from the ONJN an operating authorisation(s) covering the specific types of gambling activities to be conducted.

In order to obtain the licence, the operator must submit an application request along with several corporate and operational documents related to the legal entity itself, as well as its directors and shareholders. Such documentation includes criminal record checks for each director and shareholder, and affidavits given by the director(s) disclosing, among other aspects, the ultimate beneficial owner of the company (a 25% shareholding being the relevant threshold for an ultimate beneficial owner).

Once the Class 1 licence has been obtained, the operator must apply for a local operating authorisation in respect of the proposed land-based gambling premises. The application must generally include, among other documents, a copy of the Class 1 licence and documents concerning the premises where the activity is intended to be carried out. The local operating authorisation is granted or refused by decision of the competent local council, based on the criteria established through its own regulations and taking into account local development priorities and the applicable requirements concerning public order, health and safety. If the local authorisation is approved, the operator must pay a local tax established by the respective council.

The ONJN operating authorisation may subsequently be obtained by an operator holding both a valid Class 1 licence andthe relevant local operating permit. The applicable conditions vary depending on the type of gambling activity and include operational requirements—such as the rules governing the games, the configuration of the gambling premises and their location—as well as technical requirements, including the certification of the gambling equipment and the implementation of the reporting solution through which aggregated financial and operational data are transmitted to the ONJN.

From a practical perspective, following local debates and a vote by the relevant local councillors, certain local councils in Romania have decided not to permit gambling activities within their territorial jurisdiction.

As the national legislation leaves it to each local authority to establish, through its own regulations, the rules and criteria governing the issuance of local operating authorisation, there is currently no uniform practice at national level. Consequently, the applicable requirements and the likelihood of obtaining such a permit may vary significantly from one locality to another.

Online operations

To a certain extent, the licensing and authorisation granted by ONJN requirements for land-based gambling also apply to online activities; the observations mentioned above regarding the documentation for directors and shareholders are also applicable in connection with an online licence. In particular, the requirements concerning the corporate documentation relating to the operator, its directors and shareholders are generally applicable to both types of activities.

However, the local operating permit described above applies exclusively to gambling activities conducted in physical premises and is not required for online gambling operations.

Moreover, while separate operating authorisations are generally required for each type of land-based gambling activity—or for each gaming machine, as applicable—an online operator holds a single operating authorisation covering the specific types of gambling activities approved for the same gaming platform, which may be connected to one or more internet domain names. If the operator subsequently intends to introduce an additional type of online gambling activity—for example, by adding online casino games to the same platform initially authorised only for online betting—it must apply to the ONJN for an extension of the scope of its existing operating authorisation.

Other particular conditions applicable to an operator applying for a licence and authorisation to perform online gambling relate mainly to technical and operational requirements.

Thus, the applicant is required to have its entire IT system audited by a specialised testing laboratory that holds a Class 2 licence, while the gambling software must be certified by a Class 2 licensed certifier, as must the random number generator and return-to-player percentage for each game. In terms of the necessary infrastructure, if the main gaming server is not located in Romania, the operator must establish safe and mirror servers in Romania in order for the ONJN to be able to monitor the activity related to the Romanian market and verify any incidents that occur.

On the operational side, among other requirements, operators that are not Romanian-based companies are required to appoint an authorised representative (a Romanian legal or natural person) to act as the representative of the operator before the Romanian state authorities.

Timing

In accordance with the regulation, the complete licensing documentation must be submitted to the regulator at least nine business days before the ONJN Supervisory Committee’s meeting. The Supervisory Committee is the body within the ONJN that approves licence applications during its periodic meetings, which are generally organised twice a month.

Pursuant to GEO 77/2009, licence applications will be resolved within 30 days from the date of submission of the complete documentation. However, considering that the ONJN has the competence to request any additional documents or information deemed necessary, in practice the licensing and authorisation procedure generally exceeds the initial 30-day timeframe provided by the law.

Application Fees

The legislative framework imposes the obligation to pay an administrative fee of EUR 600 for the review of the licensing documentation and EUR 250 for the review of authorisation documentation for land-based games of chance.

For an online licence, the applicant is required to pay an administrative fee of EUR3,500 for the review of the licensing documentation.

Both land-based and online operators as well as B2B providers are also required to pay a EUR10,500 fee for the issuance of the licence.

The legislation does not provide for a personal licence requirement for individuals holding specific positions within a gambling operator. There are, however, certain requirements for the licensing process that refer, in particular, to the directors and shareholders of the applying entity (e.g., criminal record checks, affidavits disclosing, among other things, the ultimate beneficial owners).

Gambling advertising is permitted in Romania, but is quite heavily limited/regulated. Among the restrictions applicable to gambling advertising, the following are worth noting:

• Advertising materials cannot be placed within or on the boundaries of educational, religious or social-cultural premises and must depict the following, in a visible manner: (i)minors’ interdiction from participating in gambling, shown through visual signs; (ii)the series and number of the relevant gambling licence; and (iii)the ONJN logo.
• Outdoor advertising is limited to a maximum dimension of 35 square meters/billboard/ advertising material.
• The advertising of bonuses offered by online operators may be shown only on limited channels; namely, on the operator’s website, on the websites of its licensed affiliates or via e-messages sent to active players who have opted in to receiving this type of commercial communication.
• The National Audiovisual Council has issued a generic decision in which television advertising for gambling should be broadcast only during restricted time slots to observe the principle of protecting minors in the audiovisual sector.
• Gambling operators are required to notify the ONJN about advertising contracts for the promotion of gambling brands, platforms, applications or activities through the placement of advertising messages in localities and on public roads or using a television service, within five working days of the date of signing the contract. Contracts concluded with sports entities or federations for advertising within stadiums or sports halls are not subject to this requirement. Furthermore, a 5 per cent advertising fee must be paid on all audiovisual and outdoor advertising.
• Based on a new regulation issued by the National Audiovisual Council, gambling advertising via public personalities (e.g. famous athletes) or online influencers is prohibited. The audiovisual regulator has construed the framework until the date of this material (e.g. September 2026) in the sense that the restrictions applies for audiovisual materials broadcasted on TV, radio or posted online.

Yes, marketing affiliates are expressly regulated under the law and a Class 2 license is required for those affiliates that obtain revenues ”based on the participation to gambling” of players redirected from the affiliate’s websites to the websites of the B2C operators.

In principle, failure to observe the legal requirements in the field of gambling may lead to civil, administrative or criminal sanctions.

Administrative Liability

By way of example, administrative liability may be triggered when:

• the operator of land-based gambling activities allows individuals to participate in games of chance without having valid identity documents in their possession;
• the gambling operator, without a distinction being made between land-based and online activities, does not pay the participants the winnings obtained from their gambling within three business days, provided that the conditions imposed on the participant in relation to the proof of winnings are fulfilled; or
• the gambling operator, without a distinction being made between land-based and online activities, fails to notify the ONJN, within a certain deadline, about any significant modifications that have occurred to the data on the basis of which the licence and authorisation were granted.

Failure by a gambling operator to comply with the legal requirements can also lead to the suspension or revocation of its licence by the ONJN.

Criminal Liability

Operating games of chance without having been granted the required licence and authorisation constitutes a criminal offence and shall be punished with a term of imprisonment from one month to one year, or with a fine. Additional sanctions applicable for the criminal offence of unlicensed gambling are that the gambling operator will be dissolved, and the amounts derived from the unlawful activity will be confiscated.

Liability for Players

With respect to players, according to GEO 77/2009, any individual in Romania who participates in online gambling operated by an unlicensed or unauthorised operator will face administrative fines ranging from RON 5,000 to RON10,000 (approximately EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,000), thus triggering the administrative (but not criminal) liability of the player.

The ongoing payments applicable to B2C online operators are as follows:

• Annual licence fee – EUR 300,000;
• Annual authorisation fee, payable in advance – 30% of GGR, but not less than EUR 480,000;
• Monthly authorisation fee – 30% of GGR;
• Annual responsible gaming contribution – EUR 500,000;
• Monthly contribution to the National Cultural Fund (NCF) – 0.5% of the GGR generated in the previous month;
• Monthly tax on players – 2% of the monthly deposits made by players;
• Advertising fee – 5% of the value of agreements concluded for the promotion of gambling brands, platforms, applications or activities through the placement of advertising messages in localities and on public roads (OOH) or through a television service;
• Administrative fee for the integration/recertification of new games – EUR 250 per submission.

The ongoing payments applicable to B2C land based operators are as follows:

• Annual license fee – (i) fixed-odds betting– EUR 200.000; (ii) slot-machine gambling activity – EUR 150.000
• Annual authorization fee – (i) fixed-odds betting – 25% of GGR, but not less than EUR 240.000; (ii) for each slot machine – EUR 6.000

• Annual local authorization fee – the amount of the tax differs from locality to locality depending on the rules imposed by each local council
• Annual responsible gaming contribution – (i) fixed-odds betting – EUR 200.000; (ii) for each slot-machine EUR 500;
• Monthly contribution to the National Cultural Fund (NCF) – 0.5% of the GGR generated in the previous month;
• Advertising fee – 5% of the value of agreements concluded for the promotion of gambling brands, platforms, applications or activities through the placement of advertising messages in localities and on public roads or through a television service;

The ongoing payments applicable to B2B licensees are as follows:

• Annual licence fee – EUR 20,000;
• Responsible gaming contribution – EUR 15,000.

With respect to reporting obligations, some of the most notable obligations applicable to B2C operators include:

• Any amendments to the terms and conditions applicable to online platforms or to the game rules must be approved by ONJN in advance;
• Advertising agreements must be notified to ONJN within a maximum of 5 business days;
• Any significant changes to the licensing information or to the information and data concerning the online operator’s authorised representative must be reported within a maximum of 5 business days;
• Monthly statements evidencing gambling revenues and the amounts payable by way of licence or authorisation fees for each type of game must be submitted to ONJN;
• Joint ventures and joint operating agreements must be reported to ONJN;
• Movement of land based gaming equipment must be reported to the regulator by following strict deadlines;
• Suspected fraud must be reported to ONJN within 10 business days from the suspension of the transfer of funds.

Other than the reporting obligations, B2C operators are subject to numerous other compliance obligations, including, among others:

• every new game intended to be offered on the market must be certified by a class 2 licensed laboratory and approved in advance by ONJN;
• online operators must use specialized suppliers that hold a Class 2 licence and in the same vein land based operators can acquire the equipment (or have maintenance services secured) only from licensed providers;
• online operators must conduct an annual technical audit and recertification in order to have their authorization renewed;
• land based operators of slot machine gambling cannot operate in localities having less than 15,000 inhabitants.

As regards B2B licensees, the reporting obligations include, among others:

• The payment of the licence fee must be reported to ONJN;
• Any changes to the information initially submitted for licensing purposes must be reported;
• Any changes to the company’s name, brand or registered office must be reported;
• A monthly report indicating the number of players whose access has been blocked, where an unlicensed B2C operator has failed to block access to its platform from Romanian territory, together with the names of the relevant B2C websites/platforms; This obligation applies for those providers that hold a Class 2 license as software providers, platform suppliers or payment processors.

Any changes to the information included in the tax registration must be notified to the Romanian Tax Authority.

Romania has implemented the Fourth and Fifth AML Directives, through Law 129/2019. At the end of 2021, the gambling regulator issued the sectoral norms/instructions clarifying how the AML regime must be implemented in the field of gambling, and these came into force in January 2022.

The AML instructions brought clarifications regarding the subjects of the AML regime, which applies to all operators licensed in Romania, irrespective of their country of incorporation.

Furthermore, the AML instructions provide particular obligations for licensed operators in the field of gambling, as well as extensive requirements to conduct risk management, to perform standard or enhanced KYC in certain scenarios, to implement data retention obligations, to report mechanisms to the AML authority, or to appoint and train personnel qualified in the area of AML (Money Laundering Reporting Officers, or MLROs).

The gambling regulatory framework is focused on protecting minors and preventing their access to gambling, as well as ensuring the integrity and transparency of gambling activities and maintaining a fair game system that is constantly supervised.

All entities that are involved in the gambling industry and hold a licence granted by the Romanian regulator (both land-based and online operators, as well as licensed B2B providers) are required, pursuant to GEO 77/2009, to pay an annual responsible gambling contribution to a public body, the main purpose of which is to finance programmes and activities aimed at ensuring a responsible gambling environment and preventing gambling addiction.

Furthermore, land-based B2C operators are required to prohibit access to gambling to self-excluded or undesirable players that are included in a centralized database created by the regulator (this database is still work in progress, but ONJN is currently sharing lists with self-excluded players to certain operators licensed in Romania).

The legislation stipulates that any significant change to the initial licensing data provided by a B2C operator or B2B supplier must be notified to ONJN within maximum 5 business days. Theoretically, information about the direct shareholders should be included in the licensing file for all B2C operators and B2B providers. In the same time, B2C operators and certain B2B providers (e.g. software suppliers) must disclose the initial file also the identity of the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) where the threshold is more than 25% equity.

Therefore, changes to the direct shareholders or UBOs (where such UBO was required to be disclosed) should be notified to ONJN by the applicable deadline.

Depending on the type and severity of the breach, the ONJN has the power to suspend, revoke or even cancel gambling licences. Furthermore, the gambling regulator also has the competence to apply administrative fines if an operator infringes the licensing and authorisation conditions.

If a breach committed by an operator or licensed supplier represents a criminal offence, the ONJN is legally obliged to refer the case to the relevant criminal investigatory bodies. A notable example in this sense occurred in September 2025 when ONJN declared that if filed three criminal complaints against online operators that were active in Romania without holding the required license and authorization.

More recently, we have observed a trend towards ONJN imposing fines in connection with the late notification of certain documents for which the applicable legislation provides specific notification deadlines. We have also recently seen a case in which a B2C operator was fined for conducting an advertising campaign deemed to breach the principle of responsible participation in gambling, by using the image of a fictional doctor. In this case, the Gambling Office imposed a fine of approx. EUR 4,000 against the B2C operator, as the campaign featured a person portrayed as a doctor and promoted gambling as an activity to be undertaken during breaks between professional appointments.

Taxes owed by licensed operators and providers

The taxes owed by licensed B2C operators have been significantly increased. Thus, the most notable changes which are in force since 1^st August 2025 include the following:

• The authorisation tax for online gambling has increased from 21% of the gross gaming revenue (GGR) to 30% of the revenues from gambling. It must be noted that the legislation provided for a minimum annual authorisation tax of EUR 400,000 which has been increased to EUR 480,000.
• By comparison to the online sector, the authorisation tax for land-based fixed-odds betting increased from 21% of the GGR to 25% of the revenues. It must be noted that the legislation provided for a minimum annual authorisation tax of EUR 200,000 which has been increased to EUR 240,000.
• The annual licence fee for Class 2 licensed B2B providers remains EUR 20,000/year. In addition, the regulator also requires B2B licensees to pay an administrative tax for the issuance of the licence in the amount of EUR 10,500 (not as an annual payment, but only at licensing stage).
• The annual authorisation tax for land-based slot-machine gambling increased from EUR 5,300/machine to EUR 6,000/machine. It is important to emphasise that slot machines are the most popular form of land-based gambling in Romania and that an operator must have at least 75 authorised slot machines in order to maintain the validity of its licence.
• The administrative tax of EUR 250 for the analysis of documentation related to the integration or recertification of new online games remains applicable. While the amount of this tax is not significant in value, it must be noted that, under the law, any new online game intended to be offered in Romania must receive prior approval from the regulator. This administrative tax is not, however, owed per individual game, but for each individual approval request submitted by an operator (and a single request can technically include hundreds of games).

For lotteries (excluding VLTs), the annual authorisation tax has been set at 8% of revenues.

Players’ tax on gambling income

Starting 1 August 2025, the taxes on gambling income obtained by players from most of the categories of games of chance are as follows:

• for revenues up to RON 10,000 (approximately EUR 2,000), the tax is 4%;
• for revenues ranging from RON 10,000 to RON 66,750 (approximately EUR 13,000), the tax is 20% (calculated on the amount exceeding RON 10,000, plus RON 400); and
• for revenues exceeding RON 66,750, the tax is 40% (in this case, a player must pay tax of RON 11,750 plus 40% on the amount that exceeds RON 66,750).

Withholding tax

It is worth pointing out that in the case of online gambling, the Fiscal Code has already imposed a withholding tax mechanism applicable whenever the player makes a withdrawal from their game account to their bank account (or other withdrawal method). Hence, at each withdrawal from the online platform, operators must apply the above taxation thresholds.

Tax exemption

It is also worth noting that for certain categories of land-based gambling (i.e., casinos, slot-machine halls, scratch cards organised by the National Lottery and poker clubs) players still benefit from a tax exemption that is applicable to revenues that do not exceed RON 66,750 (approximately EUR 13,000).

National Cultural Fund tax

In November 2022, via a law that amended the legislation in the field of cultural activities, the Romanian parliament also introduced a new payment obligation in the form of a contribution to the National Cultural Fund. This contribution amounts to 0.5% of the revenues obtained by “economic operators in the field of gambling”.

At the time of enacting, it was still unclear who are the “economic operators in the field of gambling” and what “revenues” means in the context of this new payment obligation. Later, through the implementing legislation, the two notions have been clarified. Thus, the obligation applies to B2C organizers and the 0.5% applies to the value of the GGR.

5% Advertising tax

Starting with July 2022, B2C online operators must pay a 5% tax for advertising services performed via TV or OOH.

Responsible gambling contribution

Starting with October 2023, the responsible gambling contribution for B2C online operators increased from EUR 5,000 / year to EUR 500,000 / year, while B2B operators increased from EUR 1,000 / year to EUR 15,000 / year.

2% deposit tax

Online B2C operators must also pay a 2% tax on the deposits made by the players on the online platforms every month.

Other general taxes

Apart from the gambling-specific fees, B2C operators (as well as B2B providers established in Romania or which have a permanent establishment in Romania) must also pay corporate tax which in principle amounts to 16% from the profits allocated to Romania.

In addition, operators might be required to pay certain local taxes for OOH advertising (which may differ from one area to another).

The use of cryptocurrencies in online gambling is not expressly regulated under Romanian gambling legislation. Under GEO 77/2009, gambling requires the payment of a participation fee, which is defined as an amount of money paid by the participant in exchange for the right to enter the game. In addition, the payment methods permitted for gambling are those used within the banking-financial system and which contain information identifying the person using the respective payment instrument.

Cryptocurrencies, however, under the EU Regulation 2023/1114 (the “MiCA Regulation”), crypto-assets  are not defined as fiat money, but as various forms of assets based on cryptography technologies. Moreover, the National Bank of Romania (the “NBR”) has also expressed various public positions in recent years emphasizing that cryptocurrencies do not represent fiat money. Based on the Romanian legislation, there is no legal text qualifying crypto-currencies as a type of fiat money.

Therefore, in light of the above, since GEO 77/2009 stipulates that the participation fee for gambling must take the form of fiat money and cryptocurrencies are not qualified as such, it may be considered that the use of cryptocurrencies in connection with gambling activities is not permitted under the current legislation.

At the time of writing (September 2026), several pieces of legislation that are relevant for the gambling industry are pending enactment. These include:

• One legislative proposal introducing significant changes to the self-exclusion regime, including the centralisation of the self-exclusion process at ONJN level and the extension of the Self-Excluded Persons Register to both online and land-based operators. The proposal also introduces a new concept of “restriction of participation in gambling”, which would operate at the level of each individual operator alongside the centralised self-exclusion system;
• One legislative proposal stating that for the purpose of obtaining the gambling operation authorization, economic operators must provide proof that the proposed premises are not located on the ground floor of a residential building or of a building with mixed use;
• One legislative proposal according to which land-based operators of slot-machine, poker clubs or casinos can offer their services only in touristic resorts placed in Romania;
• One legislative proposal which intends to limit gambling advertising to what is necessary to direct players towards licensed operators, introduces a ban on TV and radio advertising between 6:00-23:00, prohibits content that may appeal to minors, and restricts the use of gambling brands on items targeting under-18s. It also extends the advertising ban to educational and medical units (within 200 meters) and to media and events intended mainly for minors;
• One legislative proposal on advertising for games of chance which states that, among others, gambling advertising will only be allowed if accompanied by the following alternative messages: (i) Family, social life, welfare: are you ready to risk it all? or (ii) Gambling implies risks of debt, addiction, loneliness and if should not directly or indirectly encourage minors and adolescents to participate in gambling;
• One legislative proposal which increases the minimum legal age for participation in gambling activities from 18 to 21 years;
• One legislative proposal which introduces the obligation for individuals holding public dignity positions, as well as those in leadership or authority roles within public institutions and authorities, to register in the National Register of Self-Excluded Persons managed by ONJN;
• One legislative proposal seeking to introduce a new article prohibiting out-of-home (OOH) advertising for gambling;
• One legislative proposal which introduces a monthly spending cap for gambling activities set at 10% of the player’s previous month income;
• Draft Order approving the Procedure on the regulation of the use of test accounts, virtual credit and demonstration sessions on remote gambling platforms;
• Draft Order establishing the minimum standards for the drafting, content, transparency and implementation of game rules, terms and conditions, and promotional rules used by remote gambling operators.

• ONJN is expected to create a centralized database at the level of the entire market for self-excluded players. The logic of this database should be that once a player decides to self-exclude from a certain operator (irrespective if is an online or land-based operator) he/she will be blocked to play from all other licensed operators as long as he/she appears in the database;
• Given the numerous legislative proposals which are subject to debate, in various stages, within the Parliament, it cannot be excluded for additional requirements or restrictions to be applied on the gambling industry in the near future (especially in terms self-exclusion or advertising );

The most significant factor which may impact the growth the gambling market lies perhaps in the increased gambling-related fees (especially in terms of the tax-related guarantees that can reach up to EUR 7M for an online operator) which for certain companies may create a blocker for accessing the market. In addition, the new legal requirement for the retail sector whereby local authorities can discretionarily decide to prohibit gambling in their area already creates a significant impact on the viability of the land-based segment.

There are several advantages supporting the conclusion that Romania is still a go-to jurisdiction for gambling companies. As highlights:

• The legislation specifically allows land-based operators to act as payment processors for online operators so players can deposit/withdraw funds into/from the online account via the gaming halls. This specific structure allowed by the law permits a smooth migration of players to the online field;
• Several renowned international brands are blacklisted in Romania (and may continue to appear on the blacklist for several more years) so there is a considerable market opportunity from this perspective.