Romania passes new gambling regulations
Government adopts secondary legislation which will bring an end to current temporary licence structure
Romania’s government yesterday passed secondary legislation for remote gambling in the country, clarifying how the country’s Gambling Act should be applied to those providing gambling-related services.
The country adopted a range of operational and technical measures, primarily around consumer protection, public security and compliance of tax laws, which operators and suppliers will need to comply with in order to gain and maintain a licence from the National Office for Gambling (ONJN).
Since the second half of last year, and following the passing of the Act in February 2015, gambling companies have been able to operate in Romania using a “temporary right”. According to the ONJN website, a total of 19 firms have been given temporary right status.
But following the adoption of new legislation, full licences will be made available with temporary right holders such as Betfair, 888, PokerStars and Unibet all expected to become permanent licensees.
Among the measures included in the framework are obligations related to marketing activities, with the placement of adverts prohibited in locations near to places of education and for advertising material to clearly state a ban on minors.
The legislation also states that applicants may be based in any member state of the European Union or be part of the European Economic Area, although such firms must also appoint an authorised representative in Romania.
As previously set out, operators will be subject to a 16% levy on gross gaming revenues, with a minimum full-year tax contribution of ?100,000 during the first 12 months of operation.
News of the development comes after the country last year demanded that operators wishing to apply for a licence must first return 20% of revenues derived from the country from the point online gambling was re-regulated in 2009.
A number of operators continued to operate in the country without a licence, however, the likes of bet365, Betfair, Sportingbet and bwin have all since made a payment to the country’s authorities in respect of their activity.
But despite making a back tax payment of approximately ?20m, bet365 last year saw its provisional licence cancelled by the regulator, a move the operator described as “legally unjustifiable”.
Earlier this year the Bucharest Court of Appeal upheld the regulator’s decision.