Romanian Govt.'s crackdown on gambling industry: more restrictions and higher taxation

The Romanian government endorsed an emergency ordinance asking the companies in the gambling industry to have their headquarters in the country (as opposed to Malta, as currently happens with the vast majority) so that the taxes are paid to the national budget.

The bill also foresees a new increase in licensing fees, but also in annual authorization fees, for all categories of operators.

"I want to end once and for all the situation in which betting companies make billions in Romania and send all the profit outside the country and even outside the EU," Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said vehemently before the government meeting in which the ordinance was approved, Europa Libera Romania reported.

The bill also restricts some marketing actions, such as placing major prizes outside gambling shops and excessively large banners.

The ordinance specifically targets large bookmakers. According to representatives of the National Gambling Office (ONJN, co-initiator of the Emergency Ordinance), among the large online betting operators, only one has an office in Romania.

Some of the changes seem to primarily affect medium-sized operators or to soften measures already pending in Parliament. Also, the bill passed by the government does not include provisions related to the removal of gaming shops outside the localities, which is the subject of a law already approved by the Senate. For this law, the Chamber of Deputies would apply an emergency adoption procedure.

(Photo source: Rosu Corneliu/Dreamstime.com)