Romania’s national gambling regulator has asked the Ministry of Finance to adopt emergency legal measures to strengthen the country’s self-exclusion system. The National Office for Gambling (ONJN) announced that it has submitted a draft emergency ordinance to address legislative gaps and improve player protection across online and land-based gambling. The proposal includes tougher sanctions, clearer rules, and the development of a new centralised IT system.
Romania’s Gambling Regulator Urges Urgent Reforms to Self-Exclusion Rules: Key Insights into the Story
- Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has submitted a draft emergency ordinance to the Ministry of Finance to reform the country’s self-exclusion framework. The regulator states that the measures are necessary to close legal loopholes and better protect vulnerable players.
- The proposal includes a single, centralised self-exclusion system covering online and land-based operators, with clearly defined exclusion periods and cooling-off requirements. It also introduces refund rights for affected players and mandatory visibility of self-exclusion information across gambling platforms.
- Operators that breach the rules could face fines ranging from RON 50,000 to 100,000 (€9,800 to €19,600) and possible licence suspension for serious or repeat offences. The regulator also plans to extend enforcement powers to the police and develop a new national IT system to support the reforms.
Emergency Ordinance Proposed to Close Legal Gaps
The National Office for Gambling submitted a proposal on Friday, January 30, to amend the regulatory framework on self-exclusion by emergency ordinance. The proposal was sent to the Ministry of Finance, the authority that oversees the regulator. The ONJN states that this approach intends to eliminate legislative deficiencies and create an effective mechanism that offers real protection to vulnerable players.
The regulator launched Romania’s national self-exclusion platform in 2020 in accordance with Government Decision no. 111/2016, Article 130. Since then, concerns have been raised about weaknesses in the system, including by industry bodies such as the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).
Last year, the regulator clarified that a “single account principle” applies, ensuring self-exclusion with one operator is enforced across all platforms. Vlad-Cristian Soare took over as president of the ONJN in May 2025 following the resignation of his predecessor after a critical audit.
Since assuming office, Soare has prioritised reforming Romania’s gambling self-exclusion framework and wider enforcement powers. He proposed a three-step implementation process to streamline enforcement and improve player protection standards.
Soare stated:
I promised self-exclusion would not remain a project that only exists on paper, like how I found it when I took office. It will be implemented in three stages: operation under the current framework (already achieved), legislative amendments to fix dysfunctions, and the rollout of a modern IT solution (now underway).
The use of an emergency ordinance, typically reserved for exceptional situations, signals the gambling watchdog’s view that the issue requires urgent action. The regulator has framed the reform as necessary to ensure immediate and effective player protection. Discussions with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing.
Planned Reforms to Self-Exclusion Rules
Under the ONJN’s proposal, self-exclusion would be handled through a single centralised procedure overseen by the regulator and enforceable against all gambling operators. Players would be able to choose clearly defined exclusion periods, including an indefinite option, with mandatory cooling-off periods during which exclusion cannot be withdrawn.
The watchdog also plans to clarify terminology to distinguish self-exclusion from operator-imposed restrictions. The proposal includes refund rights for self-excluded players who were allowed to gamble in breach of the rules, with withdrawals deducted from returned deposits. These actions align with the regulator’s 2026 agenda of greater accountability.
Retail gambling locations would be required to use identification systems and surveillance cameras, with checks applied if cameras are not operational. Operators would also be obliged to display self-exclusion information prominently online and provide QR codes in physical venues that link to national resources.
Breaches of self-exclusion rules could result in fines ranging from RON 50,000 to 100,000 (between €9,800 and €19,600). Serious or repeated violations could lead to the licence being revoked. The sanctions would also apply to failures related to monitoring and enforcement obligations.
Soare also confirmed plans to involve the Romanian Police in enforcement and to develop a new IT system with the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics. He emphasised the need for involving the Romanian police for swift enforcement.
Soare added:
Considering the objective impossibility of covering the control of the ONJN in the territory, as well as the existence of indications regarding some integrity issues under analysis, we proposed that, through these amendments, the control powers of the ONJN in the field of gambling should no longer be exclusive but should also be vested in the officers and police agents of the Romanian Police.
The regulator explained that the proposed measures aim to establish a coherent and functional system that places public interest at its core. By strengthening legislation, enforcement, and technical infrastructure, the ONJN intends to ensure that self-exclusion rules are applied consistently and without exception. The Ministry of Finance has yet to announce whether and when the emergency ordinance will be adopted.