Romanian gambling regulator to distribute grants for responsible gambling programmes
The ONJN has assigned funds to non-profit initiatives.
Romania.- The national gambling regulator ONJN has announced that it will distribute €5m in grants aimed at tackling problem gambling in Romania. The funding, drawn from the ONJN’s 2026 budget, forms part of the government’s “Conscious and Free” public interest programme announced in government gazette in December 2025.
The grants will be non-reimbursable and directed toward non-profit initiatives promoting responsible gambling. Funding will be divided into three main streams: €3.6m for prevention and education, safeguarding minors, treatment and counselling, research, digitalisation, and awareness campaigns; €1.2m for establishing or expanding specialist treatment centres, available only to public authorities and €200,000 for studies and impact assessments to guide future policy and intervention strategies.
Applications for the grants must be submitted by May 11, with eligibility results to be published on May 15. There will then be time for any appeals to be lodged between 18 and 20 May before release of the final compliance outcomes from 21 to 26.
An independent analysis and evaluation report will be published on July 8, with preliminary results open to challenge until July 13. The final results are scheduled for release on July 28, followed by contract signings between July 29 and 31. Projects are expected to begin on August 3 and run until December 2026.
Vlad-Cristian Soare, President of ONJN, emphasised the significance of the initiative and Soare and the collaborative effort that was required to make it possible. He said the ONJN worked alongside the Ministry of Finance and UEFISCDI, the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding. The programme required legislative amendments to restructure ONJN’s responsible gaming service, including two presidential orders.
I promised these projects would materialise,” Soare said. “Despite all the obstacles in the past, the projects will happen and, most importantly, they will help vulnerable people.
“We are ensuring the first funding in the history of ONJN for this type of programme. At the same time, the necessary regulatory framework has been created for funding in the coming years.”
The ONJN has also published its annual activity report in which it highlights its enforcement actions against unlicensed gambling in Romania over the past 12 months following the granting of new powers.
