Bulgarian industry pushes back against proposal to raise legal age for gambling
Bulgaria’s gambling associations have voiced strong opposition to a draft bill that seeks to raise the legal gambling age from 18 to 21.
UK.- Operators have expressed opposition to a proposal to increase the legal age for gambling in Bulgaria from 18 to 21. The proposal from the populist There Is Such a People party (ITN), would classify 18- to 20-year-olds as “vulnerable persons” under gambling legislation, effectively banning them from both land-based and online gambling.
The lawmakers behind the bill argue the change is intended to steer young adults towardss activities with lower risks. However, industry groups have urged parliament to reject the measure without consideration, citing constitutional concerns.
Industry associations claim that the proposal undermines a fundamental principle of Bulgarian law, which grants equal rights to all citizens from the age of 18. They point out that 18-year-olds in Bulgaria can already vote, marry, sign contracts, manage property and even own or carry weapons. Denying them the right to gamble, they say, is inconsistent with other adult privileges.
The submission also points out technical errors in the draft legislation, noting that it refers to the State Gambling Commission as regulating the sector despite the body being dissolved in 2020. Stakeholders argue that this demonstrates a lack of familiarity with current legislation.
In a letter to MPs, they wrote: “We insist that the draft should not be considered on its merits and that it be rejected at first reading as it is unconstitutional, economically and socially inexpedient, and was prepared without the necessary impact analysis.”
The letter states that raising the age threshold “only for gambling activities is unjustified, contradicts the principle of equality and creates a dangerous precedent for restricting the rights of adult citizens.”
Industry representatives also warn that excluding 18- to 20-year-olds from the regulated market could push them toward unlicensed operators, undermining channelisation efforts. They describe the proposal as a “blind initiative,” drafted without proper analysis of its impact on gambling revenues, social systems, or youth behaviour.
The letter concludes by arguing that Bulgaria’s existing Gambling Act already provides safeguards for vulnerable groups, clearly distinguishing between minors and adults.
Within Europe, Belgium, Greece, Lithuania and the Netherlands have all increased their minimum age for gambling to 21. Lawmakers recently advanced a bill that would raise the legal gambling age in Romania. MP Raluca Turcan says her proposal was motivated by findings from the NGO Save the Children, which identified Romania as having the highest rate of youth gambling problems in Europe.
Last year, the Bulgarian National Assembly decisively rejected a proposal to put all gambling under state control. The bill had been proposed Mech party MP Hristo Rastashki and was supported by the far-right Vazrazhdane. Supporters of the failed measure described signalled shortcomings in enforcement of existing restrictions on advertising and signage.
However, opponents said such a move would damage the gambling tourism sector, which attracts visitors from countries such as Israel and Iran, and warned that a state monopoly could reduce annual tax revenue by €200m while also driving players to illegal sites.
