March 2025
Andrei Cosma and Jasmine Botiș authored an in-depth country-specific overview that provides a 365-degree view of the gambling laws and regulations currently applicable in Romania, including trends and predictions.
Specifically, the overview is designed to provide a view on:
- How prevalent are different types of gambling in your jurisdiction?
- Which legislative and regulatory provisions govern gambling in your jurisdiction/Romania?
- Which bodies are responsible for regulating and enforcing the applicable laws and regulations? What powers do they have?
- What is the regulators’ general approach in regulating the gambling sector?
- How is ‘gambling’ defined in your jurisdiction/Romania?
- What different types of activities are defined in the gambling legislation and what specific requirements apply to each?
- What are the main mechanisms and features of the control of gambling in your jurisdiction? What are the consequences of breach of the regulations, both for operators and for players?
- What approach do the courts take to the issue of jurisdiction?
- Can foreign operators provide remote gambling services in your jurisdiction without obtaining a license? Can licensed domestic operators provide services overseas?
- Remote versus non-remote gambling
- Are there any restrictions on the media through which gambling can be provided (e.g., internet/mobile telephony)?
- Licensing
- What are the key features of such licenses (e.g., term/renewal/any limit on overall numbers/change of control)?
- What are the substantive requirements to obtain a license (e.g., company established in the jurisdiction/physical presence/capitalization?)
- What are the formal and documentary requirements to obtain a license?
- What is the typical timetable for obtaining a license?
- Ongoing compliance
- What penalties and sanctions are available to the authorities for breach of the gambling legislation?
- Advertising and marketing of gambling
- What social responsibility obligations apply to land-based and remote gambling operators in your jurisdiction?
- How does the gambling regime interface with money laundering/terrorist financing/proceeds of crime legislation in your jurisdiction?
- Non-gambling activities/social gambling
- Are gambling contracts enforceable as a matter of law?
and many more.
With a section dedicated to tips and tricks for industry representatives interested in this jurisdiction, Andrei and Jasmine summarized that the most important advice for any gambling operator considering entering the Romanian market is that the local regulations are quite complex and strict compliance is paramount; otherwise, the National Gambling Office may be forced to impose sanctions (as has happened in practice in recent years). In addition, advertising is a hot topic, so operators should:
- carefully consider their advertising/media plans;
- ensure compliance with applicable restrictions; and
- be prepared to swiftly respond to any legislative changes.
The chapter on Romania is available for download HERE. The information is valid as of December 2024.
The content of this material is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
Compilations across jurisdictions of interest and/or on relevant sections are available on the dedicated platform, HERE.
Mondaq’s Comparative Guides provide an overview of some of the key points of law, allowing practitioners to compare regulatory environments and laws across multiple jurisdictions.