Bulgarians pay the bill: €1bn lost to gambling every year

• Bulgarians continue to gamble at an increased annual pace, with more revenue generated by legal operators
• Lawmakers have called for closing existing loopholes around advertising, with the ruling party pushing for even tougher restrictions
• Yet, despite recent amendments, advertising of gambling products continues to abound

Bulgarians have lost nearly €1bn on online casinos and sportsbooks in the country in 2025, according to official figures. The gambling turnover has reached €34.27bn.

​The numbers coincide with heightened interest by gambling operators and suppliers in the country, which has seen the overall gambling revenue generated by licensed companies grow from €22.51bn in 2024.

Bulgarians are gambling more - losing more, as operators' gross gaming revenue and profit increase

​Besides generating revenue from individuals of legal age, a local report by the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) also suggests that underage individuals are continuing to access gambling products, although not licensed ones.

​On top of that, the country’s registry of self-excluded gamblers has been expanding proportionately, with as many as 54,000 Bulgarians registering since the list was launched in 2025.

​However, amendments passed in 2024 have allowed people who have self-excluded to submit a request just 30 days after being placed on that list; previously, the waiting period was two years.

​As part of the same amendments, laws were supposedly reforged to be tougher on gambling advertising, but these rules are often dodged, argues Bozhidar Bozhanov, an MP from the Democratic Bulgaria party.

​Gambling turns epidemic in Bulgaria - full ban on gambling ads needed

He has called gambling in Bulgaria an "epidemic" and has accused the state of not taking sufficient measures to enforce rules, including the most recently-introduced now.

​Democratic Bulgaria has called for a complete ban on gambling advertising, as well as addressing existing loopholes that allow gambling advertisers to continue pushing their messages without any response from regulators.

​In the meantime, the ruling party of Prime Minister Rumen Radev has called for tougher measures on gambling and said that MPs are working on changes that should help fund sports as well as address the lingering concerns about gambling.

​Although gambling ads are technically restricted in physical spaces in Bulgaria, they continue to abound almost indiscriminately across urban landscapes, with billboards, flyers, and heavy external signage drawing people to gaming venues in almost every city.

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