As one of the countries in Eastern Europe with an early development and mature system in the gambling industry, Romania has emerged in the global online gambling field in recent years, attracting a large number of international gambling companies to enter its market.
From the early grey operation status to today's widely recognized compliance system, Romania's gambling legal system has undergone a systematic reform and upgrade.
This article by PASA will review the development history of Romanian online gambling laws, introduce its market structure, regulatory bodies, licensing situation, and future trends.
I. Development History of Romanian Gambling Laws
1. Pre-regulation Era: Prevalence of the Grey Market (Before 2000)
Before the early 21st century, the Romanian gambling market was still in a highly chaotic state, lacking a clear regulatory system. Although offline lotteries, casinos, and gambling machines had existed for many years, online gambling had not yet been included in the legal regulatory framework. During this period, a large number of international gambling websites began to flood into the country's market, causing significant tax revenue loss and user protection issues.
2. Initial Regulatory Phase (2009 - 2013)
In 2009, the Romanian government recognized the growth potential of online gambling and attempted to regulate it through legislation. The Gambling Law (Government Emergency Ordinance No. 77/2009) first recognized the legality of online gambling and established a basic framework. However, due to the lack of detailed implementation rules, actual regulation was almost non-existent.
During this phase, although online gambling was "legalized," the lack of a real licensing system meant the market remained a "grey area." Most operators continued to operate without licenses, and the government was almost unable to tax or protect consumers.
3. True Reform Period: Establishing a Comprehensive Regulatory Mechanism (2015)
The year 2015 became a milestone for Romanian gambling regulation. That year, the government issued a new gambling legislation amendment, with the core changes including:
Establishment of ONJN (National Office for Gambling / Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc) as an independent regulatory body;
Official launch of the online gambling licensing mechanism;
Requirement for all operators to register and be licensed domestically to operate legally;
Strengthened regulation of technical platforms, payments, anti-money laundering (AML), and responsible gambling.
Thereafter, all unlicensed operators were considered illegal, and ONJN began to clean up illegal websites and establish a blacklist system.
4. Stable Operation and Alignment with the EU (2016 - Present)
As ONJN's operations gradually matured, Romania's online gambling market stabilized and gained recognition from several EU countries. Its regulatory model is considered one of the most advanced and transparent in Eastern Europe.
By the 2020s, Romania had attracted dozens of licensed operators, including international and local brands such as Flutter (PokerStars, Betfair), Entain (Bwin), Betsson Group, Superbet, and others.
II. Introduction to the ONJN Regulatory System
ONJN is the core institution for Romanian gambling regulation, with responsibilities including:
Approval of online and offline gambling licenses;
Supervision of the technical compliance of gambling platforms;
Issuing blacklists and blocking illegal websites;
Management of gambling tax declarations and collections;
Promotion of responsible gambling and consumer protection policies.
ONJN's official website publicly lists all licensed companies and their validity periods, allowing players and operators to clearly understand the market compliance boundaries.
III. License Types and Compliance Requirements
Romanian online gambling licenses are divided into three categories:
Class I (Tier 1 Operating License): For companies that directly provide gambling services to consumers (such as online casinos, sports betting, lotteries, etc.);
Class II (Tier 2 Service License): For third-party companies providing software, payment, platform hosting, advertising, and other support services;
Class III (Lottery Exclusive): Exclusively for state-controlled lottery operators.
Requirements for a Class I license application include:
Foreign companies must register a representative office in Romania;
Having a compliant gambling system and payment interface;
Annual fees range from €6,000 to €120,000 (depending on revenue brackets);
Submission of detailed materials on AML, KYC, player fund protection, server settings, etc.;
Mandatory third-party audits and regular reporting.
IV. Market Size and Major Participants
1. Market Data Overview
According to ONJN data, the Romanian online gambling market has maintained steady growth in recent years:
The total online gambling revenue in 2022 was approximately 1 billion euros, an increase of about 18% compared to 2021;
Online gambling accounts for over 60% of the national gambling total revenue;
Registered users exceed 4 million, with active users ranging from 1 to 1.5 million per month;
Sports betting and online slots are the most popular categories, accounting for over 75%.
2. Major Operators
The Romanian market presents a competitive landscape of local and international brands. Major operators include:
Superbet: The largest local brand, which has expanded to Poland and the UK;
NetBet.ro: Focused on localized operations;
Betano (Kaizen Gaming): Strong growth in Romania;
Betfair, PokerStars, 888, Bwin, Unibet and other international brands;
Mozzart, Fortuna, PublicWin and other regional operators.
These operators establish a user base through localized websites, payment channels, and sponsorship of sports events (such as the Romanian Premier League, national football team).
V. Taxation and Consumer Protection
The Romanian gambling industry implements a relatively clear tax system:
Operators are taxed 16% of the turnover as gambling tax;
Players must declare and pay personal income tax on winnings exceeding 66,750 lei (approximately 13,000 euros);
Tax revenue is mainly used for special funds in sports, healthcare, and social security sectors.
In terms of consumer protection, Romanian law mandates operators to provide:
Age verification mechanisms (must be at least 18 years old);
Responsible gambling tools (limits, suspension, self-exclusion);
Player fund segregation protection;
Multilingual customer support.
ONJN also operates a dedicated reporting platform to handle player complaints and disputes.
VI. Challenges and Development Trends
Although the market regulation is relatively mature, the Romanian online gambling industry still faces the following challenges:
Illegal websites continue to bypass regulation through VPNs;
Regulations on advertising content are not yet detailed, raising concerns about the impact on adolescents;
High tax burden on players, which may affect the gambling experience;
Technical regulation (such as cryptocurrency gambling) is not yet fully covered.
Future trends include:
Stricter data compliance and anti-money laundering technology applications;
Possible introduction of advertising restriction legislation, referencing the UK and Western European countries;
Promotion of cross-border regulatory cooperation to combat illegal platforms;
Local operators moving towards international markets (such as Superbet's expansion into the UK);
More companies introducing AI analysis, virtual sports, and blockchain payment technologies.
Conclusion
From once being a grey area to now being a benchmark for Eastern European gambling regulations, the rapid development of the Romanian online gambling market has benefited from policy reforms and the active promotion by regulatory bodies. As regulations continue to improve and technological means advance, Romania is expected to continue attracting more international operators while consolidating its strategic position in the European gambling landscape.
For companies looking to enter the Eastern European gambling market, Romania is undoubtedly a promising and relatively compliant and transparent quality market.
