Romanian Parliament to vote on new gambling regulations
Emergency ordinances will impose higher licence fees and tougher requirements.
Romania.- The Ministry of Finance has published its draft emergency ordinances including new rules and licence fees for regulated gambling. Licence fees have been revised for the entire sector, and a new rule will require licensees to have a domicile in Romania.
The ministry will require operators to submit tax contributions to the national gambling regulator, the ONJN, within five working days of the month following collection. It also proposes the creation of a central database with details of players, which will allow the ONJN to monitor play with licensed operators.
The draft rules also include bans on unsolicited online adverts, on the promotion of incentives such as bonuses and promotions and on the sale of alcohol in non-casino land-based gambling venues.
The licence fees in the draft rules are as follows. Land-based casinos and the larger land-based gambling operators will have their fees assigned by the ministry according to their annual income.
- Lotto: €200,000
- Pari-mutuel betting: €65,000
- Fixed odds betting: €200,000
- Counter betting: €150,000
- Casino-style gambling: €150,000
- Poker club games: €25,000
- Slot machines: €150,000
- Bingo at physical venues: €15,000
- TV bingo : €150,000
The national gambling regulator, the ONJN, has been told that from January 2025, all licensees must set aside at least €1m for licensing matters irrespective of their income or sector. The proposed ordinances are expected to be put to a vote in the Romanian Parliament this month.
See also: Romania gambling regulator revokes Cash Gaming slots licence
