Online gambling legalized

Bulgaria is one of the few jurisdictions in Eastern Europe where online gambling is completely legal. The market works according to European standards: transparent licensing, real-time fiscal monitoring and strict Responsible Play (RG) rules. This provides a balance between the growth of the industry, the protection of players and the interests of the state.

1) Legal framework and regulator

Main law: Gambling Act 2012 (Gambling Act) with significant 2020 amendments.

Regulator: National Revenue Agency (NRA) - The National Revenue Agent, which replaced the State Gambling Commission and combined licensing, fiscal control and online oversight.

The principle of "one window": filing licenses, reporting on GGR, monitoring payments and blocking illegal domains - in a single NRA system.

2) What's legal online

All major verticals are allowed if licensed:

Online casinos: slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, live dealers;
Sports and events betting: prematch, live, virtual views;
Poker and bingo (with separate permission and platform certification).

3) Licensing: who gets how

Who is available: Bulgarian companies and legal entities from the EU/EEA (entrance is possible through a local legal entity/daughter).

Requirements:

verification of beneficiaries and sources of funds;
Platform/RNG certification from accredited laboratories
integration with the NRA fiscal gateway (real-time rates/payouts data);
implementation of KYC/AML and RG policies;
localization of interface and support (Bulgarian).
Terms and economics: licenses are issued for up to 10 years; tax model - 15% GGR + annual license fees (by type of activity).

4) Payments and finance

Bank cards and transfers, e-wallets (Skrill/Neteller), prepaid vouchers (Paysafecard), local PSPs are allowed.

All payment providers are connected to NRA controls; transactions are logged.

Crypto payments are only possible through regulated providers (on/off-ramp) with full KYC/AML; calculations and reporting - according to NRA rules.

5) Responsible Gaming (RG)

Operators shall ensure:

deposit/time/rate limits and reality check;
self-exclusion and "timeouts";
visible 18 + alerts and help desk contacts;
staff training and reporting on RG metrics to the NRA.
The goal is to reduce the risks of gambling addiction and increase player awareness.

6) Advertising and Communications

Advertising is allowed only for licensed brands and with mandatory RG disclaimers;

aggressive/misleading offers, targeting minors, abuse of celebrity images are prohibited;

violators face heavy fines even before the license is suspended.

7) Fighting illegal sites

After the reform of 2020, Bulgaria applies strict network and payment filtering:

register of prohibited domains and blocking access by communication providers;
block/deny payments to unlicensed sites;
sanctions to repeated violators, up to criminal liability.
The result is a tangible reduction in the "gray" online segment and the flow of players to the legal zone.

8) Process and operational standards

mandatory RNG/RTP certification and regular audits;

data protection and GDPR compatibility (log storage, incident-response);
reporting monthly (taxes) and online (transactional data to the NRA);

fault-tolerant infrastructure, fraud monitoring, anti-boot filters.

9) Market economics

A balanced model of 15% GGR + license fees keeps the entry threshold reasonable and at the same time provides the budget with a stable income;

developed mobile-first demand and popularity of live markets/games support the growth of the online segment;

predictable rules facilitate the arrival of international operators and B2B providers (data, streaming, payments).

10) Prospects to 2030

an increase in the share of mobile live and micromarkets in sports;

expansion of the omnichannel (a single onlayn↔offlayn wallet, loyalty programs);
public RG metrics as an industry standard;
accurate integration of stablecoins and Web3 mechanics for NRA requirements;

further automation of control and analytics (anti-fraud/behavioral scoring).

In Bulgaria, online gambling is legalized and works according to strict but understandable rules. The Gambling Act 2012 + 2020 reform bundle and the NRA's centralized oversight form a transparent, safe and investment-friendly environment. For players, this is legal services and protection, for operators - a predictable economy, for the state - stable fiscal revenues and a controlled, mature market.