Romania tightens gambling regulation

Romania’s fast-expanding gambling industry has prompted lawmakers to step up and act pre-emptively as the country is facing increased demand for online and land-based gambling. To help address fears of problem gambling, the country’s legislative body has decided that towns and villages with a registered population of less than 15,000 residents will not be eligible sites for gambling, such as slot machines.

This is a watershed moment as the industry is said to be worth €12bn and has a lot of clout in the country. Although the proposal passed nearly unchallenged, some of the backers had disagreements. For one, some opposition parties argued that the government was doing the least possible and in fact "colluding" with the gambling industry and showing leniency for the sector.

Political leader Ionut Mosteanu, who is the boss of the opposition party USR, said that the methodology was flawed. There was no debate about why places with 15,000 residents would need to be protected but others would not. He asked rhetorically what the difference was between places with 15,000 residents from, say, places with 17,000 inhabitants, or even 2m.

The latest measure was passed with 243 votes in favor, two against, and four Members of Parliament who abstained from voting. Yet, the law does not stop here, as it also seeks to ensure that the National Gaming Office (ONJN) is further empowered and tracks illegal operators.

The regulator will now have to create and oversee a public register which will have the names of all listed operators, including online gambling sites. The ONJN will have to ensure that its list is up-to-date and provides accurate information about authorized operators in the country.

Meanwhile, problem gambling remains an issue in Romania with at least 100,000 people reporting addiction problems. However, Romania has not run a comprehensive survey into the number of problem gamblers since 2016, and the number may have increased.

The ONJN has found itself in a bit of controversy last week after the watchdog appointed a celebrity hairstylist as its Vice President, questioning the appointment and the value that it brought to the regulator.

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