Bulgarian Revenue Agency takes over gambling regulation

The former State Commission on Gambling (SCG) is no more.

Bulgaria.- The National Revenue Agency (NRA) has officially taken over the regulation of gambling in the country following a vote by the National Assembly last month.

The former Commission’s Chairman and members have had their contracts terminated and responsibility for regulation has been transferred to NRA Director Galya Dimitrova, who has the option to nominate a deputy to oversee the regulated gaming market.

All disciplinary proceedings being undertaken by the SCG will be completed by the NRA, while licence applications and renewals will be processed within six months.

Licences awarded by the SCG will remain valid, with no need for licensees to reapply, but industry data and all fees must now go to the NRA.

The decision to dismantle the SGC came after several scandals that led to the resignation of Chairman Alexander Georgiev in February after he was questioned in connection to an investigation into Vasil Bozhkov, owner of Bulgaria’s oldest betting operator, Eurofootball. 

Eurofootball had its licence suspended in March due to outstanding taxes, and Bozhkov’s National Lottery AD surrendered its licence, leading Kambi to suspend its contract with the company.

Bulgaria granted the state-owned Sports Totalisator (BST) a monopoly over lottery products in February, knocking several private lottery operators out of the market. 

A subsequent proposal to limit gaming to casinos in border territories has been ditched by parliament.