Romania to raise gambling age limit to 21 under new legislative proposal

Romanian Liberal Party (PNL) member of Parliament Raluca Turcan has submitted two legislative proposals aimed at tightening regulation of the gambling industry, including a measure that would raise the minimum legal age for gambling from 18 to 21. The initiative, filed in Parliament on November 5, seeks to strengthen protections for young people’s emotional and financial well-being, according to Bursa.ro.

Turcan argued that the 18–21 age group represents “one of the most fragile stages of life,” as young people begin their studies or careers while managing their first incomes and responsibilities.

“The gambling industry, based on persuasive mechanisms and refined psychological techniques, targets exactly this vulnerable segment,” she said.

Raising the age threshold, she added, would give young adults “a window of emotional and financial maturation.”

The lawmaker cited examples from Portugal, Greece, and the Republic of Moldova, where similar measures reportedly led to a significant decline in early gambling addiction and indebtedness among young people.

Turcan’s second bill focuses on stricter advertising regulations for gambling operators, particularly online. The proposal would ban the broadcasting of gambling-related advertisements on digital platforms between 06:00 and 24:00, a period when minors and young adults are most active online.

The legislation would also prohibit the use of influencers, athletes, and public figures in promotional campaigns for gambling companies.

Turcan said this restriction reflects the shift in how young audiences consume content, noting that “young people are not attracted to traditional ads, but to the models they follow and imitate online.”

If adopted, the bills would represent a major tightening of Romania’s gambling regulations, aligning the country with several European states that have recently strengthened restrictions to reduce exposure among young people.

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