Romanian lawmakers have approved a series of amendments to the existing gambling legislation, addressing regulatory gaps and ensuring better oversight and enforcement. The reforms, which will take effect immediately, are a part of the government’s wider initiative to prohibit illicit online gambling activities. Meanwhile, the National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has announced a €5 million fund for prevention, treatment and research on gambling addictions.
Romania Stepping Up Efforts to Curb Unregulated Online Gambling: Brief Overview
- Lawmakers have approved tighter regulations for Class II B2B licence holders, including software providers, hosting companies, payment systems and dedicated platform solutions.
- The amendments will apply alongside Law 239/2025, which prohibits B2B licence holders from facilitating unlicensed B2C gambling operations. Non-compliance may lead to imprisonment, penalties, and licence suspension.
- The ONJN announced a program called “Conștient și Liber” (Aware and Free), with a timeline for 2026. It will create a €5 million fund to support prevention, treatment and research related to gambling harm among minors and vulnerable individuals.
Lawmakers Approve Stricter Conditions for B2B Licence Holders
Romanian lawmakers have approved a set of reforms aimed at bridging loopholes in the current gambling legislation. On Monday, December 15, the Romanian Parliament published Law no. 239 in the Official Gazette. The onus is now on Class II B2B licence holders, such as software providers, platform solutions, payment systems, and hosting services, to stop facilitating gambling operators blacklisted by the ONJN.
Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has been proactively acting against unregulated iGaming operators nationwide. In September, the regulator blocked 30 illicit online casinos for targeting Romanian consumers without the necessary clearance. Officials have also banned gambling commercials since August 2025, protecting minors and vulnerable individuals from exposure.
Law 239/2025 prohibits licensed B2B service providers from serving unlicensed B2C gambling operators that fulfil these three conditions:
- Provide gaming content in the Romanian language
- Permit gambling deposits and withdrawals in Romanian Leu (RON) and other currencies, including crypto
- Cater to Romanian players without a valid Class I licence from the ONJN
The law mandates that licensed payment systems must promptly halt all transactions upon meeting the specified conditions. Additionally, B2B licensees may inform the affected operators to comply with Romania’s Class I licensing regulations.
The latest amendments replace the previous “any condition” approach, where operators were targeted even if they didn’t cater to Romanian consumers. By defining what constitutes a violation, officials have not only provided operators with greater clarity but also enabled the ONJN to utilise resources in a more targeted fashion, ensuring more effective outcomes.
Failing to comply with Law no. 239 carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, as well as financial penalties and licence revocation. Starting from January 2026, slot machines and video lottery terminals (VLTs) must have integrated geolocation systems, regardless of whether they are in use, in maintenance, in storage, or in transport. This replaces the previous mandate for standalone GPS systems.
ONJN Announces €5 Million Public Fund for Gambling-related Education, Research, and Treatment
Last week, Romania’s gambling watchdog opened a public consultation called “Conștient și Liber” (Aware and Free) to gather feedback on the country’s first funding program for gambling-related education and research. The consultation window will remain open for 30 days, while the initiative is expected to go live sometime in 2026.
The ONJN will raise a RON 25.4 million (approximately €5 million) fund from its revenue sources under Romania’s Gambling Law (OUG 77/2009), rather than from the taxpayers’ money. The amount will be used to support initiatives covering prevention, treatment, education and research related to gambling harm, especially among minors and vulnerable individuals.
Addressing the press, ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare said:
This programme represents a first in ONJN’s history. It enables us to finally deliver on legal provisions that existed but had never been fully implemented.
According to the ONJN’s proposal, around €1.2 million will be earmarked for infrastructure-related projects, including the creation, expansion and modernisation of specialised gambling-related treatment centres. Public authorities will have exclusive access to this fund.
The remaining €3.8 million will be available to public organisations and civil society bodies for educational programs, counselling and treatment initiatives, limiting exposure among minors and vulnerable individuals, academic research related to the dangers of gambling addiction, digital harm-reduction tools, and nationwide campaigns raising awareness about responsible gambling.
Soare added:
We are launching for public debate the ‘Aware and Free’ programme, through which we will provide €5,000,000 in non-repayable funding for the implementation, by public authorities or NGOs, of programmes that are critically needed for Romanian citizens.
The ONJN is seeking feedback on two core documents: the Methodology for the Evaluation, Selection and Financing of Projects and the Applicant’s Guide. In combination, these documents define the eligibility criteria, requirements, assessments, and funding conditions. The regulator has invited stakeholders, including public officials, NGOs, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, and religious organisations, to participate in discussions.
This is not the first time that Romania has taken a one-of-a-kind initiative in the gambling sector. In October, officials submitted a proposal to develop gambling tourism in the country. In July, the federal government proposed legislation that would allow local municipalities to decide whether to allow gambling operations within their jurisdictions. These novel initiatives are helping normalise gambling within the orthodox Romanian culture, paving the way toward the future.