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1. Market overview
Where the market sits, who runs it and under what law.
Gambling business in Romania
Today, the gambling business in Romania is absolutely legal. Land-based gaming entertainment is widespread and popular in the country. Anyone over the age of 18 can play in both land and online casinos. Online gambling was officially legalized relatively recently - in 2015. At the same time, government agencies continue to work to improve the legal framework. The last changes in the relevant changes were made in 2016. The new regulations have significantly changed the situation in the online gaming industry.
Modern history of gambling development - gambling legislation in Romania
Romania has a long history of legalizing gambling. The first national lottery in the country, the Lottery Romana, appeared as early as 1906. Gambling was banned under Nicolas Ceausescu. However, in 1990, after the overthrow of his government, the gambling business was legalized again. Already in 1991 appeared the first casino in the country, founded by the Austrian company Casino Austria.
From this moment began the active development of the gaming industry in Romania:
- In 1992, a gambling business commission was set up. The department was tasked with monitoring the activities of all land-based casinos in the country.
- 1993 - A law on the taxation of gambling establishments is adopted
- 1998 - Compulsory licensing is introduced. Provisions are given in the Law on Regulation of the Gambling Business.
- 1999 - Requirements were introduced for sites and buildings used for casino organization
- 2003 - The government develops a scheme to attract foreign investment. The activity of a bookmaker who takes a sports bet is allowed.
Today, the activities of land-based gambling establishments are regulated by almost a dozen official laws, ordinances and regulations. In addition, there are additional instructions, orders, solutions provided by the National Gambling Office.
Online gambling business business regulation
The situation with the legalization of online toys is a bit more complicated. In fact, gaming sites have been operating on Romanian servers since 2008-2009. But until 2015, their activities were considered illegal.
The first attempt to legalize online casinos took place in 2009. At the same time, the European Commission has identified a number of shortcomings in the draft law.
The process of legalizing online gambling in 2011 ended similarly. EU officials have said that Romanian laws do not fully comply with EU law.
And only the last law passed in 2015 was deemed satisfactory. The county government has established a legal framework for doing business for local and international companies. In addition, they introduced a new taxation system.
The offer of legalization was also accepted by the operators operating on the black market since 2009. The issue can be resolved by paying 20% tax on all income earned during the years of operation.
Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc - Gambling Regulator in Romania
At the same time, in 2015, the Romanian National Gambling Bureau (Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc, ONJN) became the official gambling regulator. Thus, the state was able to centralize all activities related to the gambling business on the Internet.
The main tasks of the department were:
- Licensing of online operators;
- Control over the activities of casinos on the Internet;
- Research and analysis of European gambling market trends.
According to the head of the department, Cristinela Nistor, among other issues, the bureau is trying to submit proposals for the development of new provisions in order to bring Romanian legislation in line with European norms. Thus, stimulating the market and increasing budget revenues.
The results were not delayed. Already in 2016, new rules for online gaming operators were published. In accordance with their provisions, the following requirements have been introduced:
For providers: they must be resident in Romania or the EU and have the appropriate licenses;
According to the terms of payment of taxes: in case of violation of these requirements, the exact term, payment methods and penalties were determined;
Towards Website Design: Online casinos are committed to clearly defining the number of bets, prizes, limits and percentage measures in Romanian.
The new provisions have provoked mixed reactions. As it turned out, most operators do not have a license that meets the requirements of the new rules.
Some companies have chosen to leave the Romanian market. In particular, William Hill suspended the operation of its casinos
However, many providers have complied with the terms of the laws adopted in 2015-2016. In addition, several well-known companies have announced their desire to develop the Romanian market.
Conditions for obtaining a gaming license in Romania
Games in Romania today are divided into several categories:
- Slot machines;
- Board games;
- Lotteries
Types of gaming licenses in Romania
Permits are issued separately for each type of gambling business:
- License to organize the activities of surface institutions. Validity period - 10 years. The annual license fee ranges from € 15,000 (poker clubs) to € 20,000 (casino), depending on the type of activity. Game types also determine the authorization fee. In addition, land-based casino operators are required to pay a public fund annually for responsible games;
- Online casino operating license. The appendix to the document indicates which games are run on the platform. The license is valid for 10 years. The amount of the annual license fee depends on the profitability of the portals: 60 thousand euros with a turnover of 500 thousand, 120 thousand - a total profit of more than 10 million. Also, the authorization fee and contributions to the fund for responsible games. paid;
- License to supply content, platforms, software.
- Restrictions on access to gambling
Despite the legalization of the gambling business, there are strict restrictions in Romania. In particular, only adult citizens who have reached the age of 18 are eligible to play.
Moreover, according to the rules established in 2016, operators are obliged to take care of the protection of minors:
- It is forbidden to put up billboards in front of educational institutions
- Marketing materials contain instructions that minors are not allowed to gamble
- Online casinos have strict account verification procedures.
- All gambling establishments and portals are obliged to cooperate with the Public Fund for Responsible Gambling and to control the signs of gambling addiction among the visitors.
Popular online casino in Romania
Due to the recent legalization of the gambling business in the country, Romanian casinos are still less well known. Among the popular portals, users mention the resources of international operators:
- Europe Casino;
- Slots Magic;
- Unibet;
- Casino room.
Most of them are multi-platform portals that allow you to play slots from well-known manufacturers: Microgaming, IGT, NetEnt, Betsoft, Merkur and others.
Prospects for the development of the gambling business in Romania
Despite the rather strict legal requirements and the regulation of the online industry, experts positively assess the prospects for the development of gambling in Romania. Positive forecasts are confirmed by the facts confirming the active development of the market by international operators. for example:
- Opening of Playtech Live Casino Studio;
- Obtaining a Romanian license from game developer and supplier Yggdrasil Gaming;
- Registration of Romanian license by online casino EveryMatrix content provider;
- Opening a localized 888 Holding website. The resource is a combined portal of casino games, poker rooms and brand bookmakers.
According to a report by the European Gambling Commission, the flow of companies wishing to enter the Romanian market has increased significantly. 13 operators became holders of temporary licenses. The list of applicants for permits continues to grow.
- Region
- Europe
- Legal status of gambling
- Regulated
- National regulator
- National Gambling Office (Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc, ONJN), the official regulator since 2015, centralising licensing of online operators and oversight of internet casino activity.
- Regulator website
- Under verification
- Key legislation
- Law on Regulation of the Gambling Business (compulsory licensing introduced 1998); a 1993 law on taxation of gambling establishments; the 2015 law legalising and regulating online gambling, the first version judged adequate after unsuccessful 2009 and 2011 attempts; 2016 rules on online-operator requirements.
- Minimum player age
- 18
2. Allowed verticals
What may be offered, and whether it needs a licence.
| Vertical | Status | Licence required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land-based casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | First licensed casino opened in 1991 (Casino Austria); licensing has been compulsory since 1998, with site/building requirements added in 1999. |
| Slots / gaming halls | Permitted with a licence | Yes | A licensed category in its own right, alongside board games and lotteries. |
| Poker | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Licensed as a type of land-based gambling establishment (poker clubs), with a lower annual fee than casinos (€15,000 vs up to €20,000). |
| Sports betting | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Bookmaking on sports allowed from 2003, as part of a government scheme to attract foreign investment. |
| Lottery | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Licensed as its own category; the first national lottery, Loteria Română, dates to 1906. |
| Online casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Legalised in 2015 after unsuccessful 2009 and 2011 attempts that the European Commission found deficient. 13 operators held temporary licences at the time of the source, with Yggdrasil Gaming and EveryMatrix among newly licensed content/platform providers. |
3. Licensing framework
What a licence is, what it costs and what the holder must have in country.
- B2C licensing
- Under verification
- B2B licensing
- Under verification
- Licence term
- Both a land-based gambling-establishment licence and an online casino operating licence run for 10 years.
- Application fee
- Under verification
- Annual fee
- Land-based: €15,000/year for poker clubs up to €20,000/year for casinos, varying by activity type, plus a separate authorisation fee by game type and an annual contribution to the public Responsible Gambling fund. Online: €60,000/year where turnover is around €500,000, rising to €120,000/year where total profit exceeds €10m, plus an authorisation fee and a Responsible Gambling fund contribution.
- Local presence required
- From 2016, online providers must be resident in Romania or the EU and hold an appropriate licence; website content, bets, prizes and limits must be clearly stated in Romanian.
- Share capital required
- Under verification
| Licence | Type | Product | Authority | Duration | Fee | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land-based gambling establishment licence | Land-based | — | National Gambling Office | 10 years | €15,000/year (poker clubs) to €20,000/year (casinos), plus a Responsible Gambling fund contribution | — |
| Online casino operating licence | Online | — | National Gambling Office | 10 years | €60,000/year (turnover around €500,000) to €120,000/year (profit over €10m), plus an authorisation fee and a Responsible Gambling fund contribution | — |
| Content/platform/software supply licence | B2B | — | National Gambling Office | — | — | — |
4. Taxation and banking
What the state takes, and whether the money can move.
- Gaming tax (GGR)
- Operators who had been active on the black market since 2009 could regularise their position by paying a 20% tax on all income earned during their unlicensed years of operation, per the source; no general GGR tax rate is otherwise stated in the source.
- Corporate income tax
- Under verification
- Tax on player winnings
- Under verification
- Payments
- Under verification
- Banking and payments
- Under verification
5. Technical requirements and compliance
What has to be certified, recorded and kept inside the border.
- Certification and game testing
- Under verification
- Responsible gambling
- Billboards advertising gambling are banned near educational institutions; marketing materials must state that minors may not gamble; online casinos must run strict account-verification procedures; all operators must cooperate with the Public Fund for Responsible Gambling and monitor visitors for signs of gambling addiction.
- AML regime
- Under verification
- AML and KYC
- Under verification
- Server and data localisation
- Under verification
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Planning to enter Romania?
A regulatory assessment reads Romania's regime against your own products, licence class and corporate structure, and says what follows for each: what you may offer, what you must hold, what it costs and what will change.
Who wrote this
- Last reviewed
Regulatory Intelligence disclaimer
Information is provided for general regulatory intelligence purposes and should not be treated as legal advice for a specific transaction or business model. Regulatory requirements may change and should be confirmed before market entry or implementation.