The Senate of Romania has approved two sweeping legislative proposals aimed at overhauling key aspects of the country’s gambling framework, including raising the minimum legal gambling age from 18 to 21 and imposing stringent restrictions on online gambling advertising. The measures, adopted with broad parliamentary support, are designed to bolster protections for young people and align local regulation with emerging European norms on safer gambling.
Under the proposals, individuals below the age of 21 would be prohibited from participating in any form of gambling, while online promotional content for gambling would be banned between 06:00 and 24:00, a period designed to reduce exposure of children and adolescents to gambling marketing across digital platforms.
Senate Approval and Legislative Details
The first bill, introduced by members of the coalition government and supported by PNL, USR, and allied parties, specifically targets youth access to gambling activities. By increasing the age threshold to 21, lawmakers argue the change will provide a crucial “window of emotional and financial maturity” for young adults, reducing exposure during a vulnerable stage of life.
In a recent speech, Raluca Turcan, Romania’s Minister of Labour and Social Protection, expressed support for these measures, highlighting that raising the legal gambling age would better protect younger generations from the potential social and psychological consequences of early gambling exposure. She stressed that this policy would serve to safeguard Romanian youth and align with broader European efforts to prevent addiction and other gambling‑related harms.
The second bill focuses on online advertising restrictions, banning gambling ads and promotional material across digital channels for most of the day, and outlawing the use of influencers, athletes, and other public figures in gambling campaigns. Proponents say these ad limits reflect how younger audiences engage with content online and aim to curtail aggressive marketing that could normalise gambling behaviour.
Both proposals now move to the Chamber of Deputies, the legislative chamber responsible for final readings and potential amendments, before they can be signed into law and implemented.
Protecting Youth and Aligning With Broader Trends
Romania’s push to raise the gambling age and restrict ads reflects a broader policy trend in Europe toward enhanced youth protection and responsible gaming safeguards. Lawmakers have cited research suggesting that impulsive behaviour and undeveloped decision‑making capacities persist through early adulthood, making individuals under the age of 21 more susceptible to gambling harm.
These proposals dovetail with regional debates on the role of age thresholds and advertising controls in reducing exposure to gambling risks among minors and young adults. For example, the Romanian gambling regulator’s focus on self‑exclusion enhancements underscores a wider emphasis on player protection mechanisms, with the regulator seeking emergency provisions to strengthen voluntary exclusion tools.
Similarly, past proposals in Romania have explicitly targeted increasing the legal age and limiting online ads as part of a legislative package aimed at curbing youth gambling harm.
Public Health and Consumer Safeguards
Supporters of the reforms have framed them as necessary public health interventions in the face of rising concerns over gambling addiction and early exposure. Recent reports indicate significant participation rates among younger age groups, with some studies showing that a substantial share of adolescents engage in gambling before age 18.
The advertising restrictions, in particular, seek to address how digital marketing strategies normalise gambling activity. By banning online ads for most of the day and removing high‑profile influencers from campaigns, lawmakers aim to limit the reach and impact of promotional messaging on vulnerable demographics.
Impact on Operators and Market Dynamics
Should the reforms become law, gambling operators, both domestic and international, will face a new compliance landscape. Platforms will need to update age‑verification systems to enforce the higher minimum age, revise marketing strategies to comply with the extended ad blackout, and potentially reassess how they engage customers online.
The legislation’s progression also signals to operators that youth protection and responsible gambling measures are becoming central to regulatory expectations, a trend mirrored in other jurisdictions across Europe.
Next Steps in the Legislative Process
With Senate approval secured, the proposals now await consideration by the Chamber of Deputies. If passed, they would be sent to the President for final promulgation, after which regulatory and enforcement timelines would be set.
Stakeholders, including industry groups, consumer advocates, and public health organisations, are expected to participate in forthcoming debates and committee reviews, shaping the final form and implementation timelines of the reforms.
Europe’s Evolving Gambling Policy Landscape
Romania’s move comes amid broader European discussions on gambling regulation, where several countries are recalibrating how age limits and marketing controls can enhance consumer safety without unduly restricting market access. These debates often intersect with other regulatory priorities, including responsible gambling mandates and advertising governance.
As policymakers continue to refine their approaches, operators and observers will be closely tracking how these reforms balance consumer protection, market viability, and digital communication norms in an increasingly connected gambling ecosystem.