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Online casinos in Romania
Romania is one of the most developed and regulated gambling countries in Eastern Europe.
Gambling is completely legal here, and the state has built a clear system of licensing, control and taxation for both ground and online operators.
The Romanian market is considered the benchmark for the region, combining strict requirements for operators with a favorable business environment and transparent taxes.
Legislative framework
The modern regulation of gambling in Romania is based on the law:- Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009 (GEO 77/2009) - "On the regulation of gambling,"
- as well as its key amendments Law no. 246/2010, Law no. 124/2015 and GEO 114/2018.
- gambling is fully permitted and regulated by the state;
- for operators, a license from the National Gambling Authority (ONJN - Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc) is mandatory;
- online gambling is under the same rules as offline casinos;
- foreign companies can operate in the country with a license and representative office;
- unlicensed sites are blocked at the provider level.
ONJN performs the functions of supervision, audit, monitoring, and also maintains an official register of licensed operators.
Licensing
A license in Romania is mandatory for all operators providing online or offline gambling.
License types:- Class I: for online casino operators, bookmakers, poker and lotteries;
- Class II (Class II): for software providers, payment services, audits and affiliates;
- Class III: for state lotteries (holder - Loteria Română).
- registration of the company in Romania or the EU;
- availability of capital from €1 million;
- payment of the license fee (from €15,000 to €120,000 per year, depending on the type of activity);
- Software and RNG audit
- implementation of Responsible Gaming.
License term: 10 years, with annual verification and confirmation.
Major licensed operators:- Superbet, Betano, Unibet, NetBet, PokerStars, MaxBet, Winmasters, Betfair, 888Casino, Fortuna.
Taxation
Romania uses a progressive and stable system of taxation in the field of gambling.
For operators: Gross income tax (GGR):- 23% for online gambling;
- 16% for sports betting;
- annual license fee: €120,000;
- corporate tax: 16%.
- winnings up to RON 10,000 (~ €2,000) - not taxable;
- wins from RON 10,000 to 66,750 - 3% tax;
- over RON 66,750 - progressive rate up to 40%.
All taxes are administered by ANAF (Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală).
Online gambling
The online gambling market in Romania is one of the most successful in Europe.
It was legalized in 2015, and by 2024 has more than 30 licensed operators.
Popular online casinos:- Betano. ro, Superbet. ro, NetBet. ro, Unibet. ro, PokerStars. ro, MaxBet. ro, 888. ro.
- video slots and live games;
- roulette, blackjack, poker;
- live-casino with dealers;
- sports betting and eSports;
- online bingo and lotteries.
According to ONJN, online gambling in 2024 exceeded RON 6 billion (€1.2 billion), which is about 60% of the total gambling market in the country.
Land-based casinos
The land segment also remains strong, especially in tourist regions and the capital.
The largest casinos in Romania:- Casino Bucharest (Radisson Blu) - the country's main gambling house;
- Grand Casino Marriott Bucharest is an elite international venue;
- Platinum Casino - popular among VIP players;
- Queen Casino Bucharest;
- Fortuna Palace Casino Cluj-Napoca.
Land casinos offer classic games (roulette, blackjack, baccarat), poker, slot machines and live rooms.
Payment methods
The main currency is the Romanian leu (RON).
Online operators also accept euros for international transactions.
Available payment systems:- Visa, MasterCard;
- Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, Paysafecard;
- Revolut, Apple Pay, Google Pay;
- bank transfers via Banca Transilvania, BRD, ING, Raiffeisen;
- cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, USDT) - allowed only through registered providers.
User registration passes through the ONJN eID system, and all transactions undergo AML monitoring.
Responsible play
Romania was one of the first in Eastern Europe to implement the national Responsible Gaming Romania program.
It is supervised by ONJN together with private operators.
Main measures:- age limit 18 +;
- limits on deposits and rates;
- self-exclusion function;
- addiction alerts and help hotline;
- state register ROFJ (Registrul operatorilor și al jucătorilor excluși).
There is also the Romanian Responsible Gaming Foundation, funded by operator taxes.
Economic importance
Gambling is an important part of the Romanian economy and one of the largest sources of budget.
According to the Ministry of Finance (2024):- total market turnover - €2.1 billion;
- tax revenues - €400 million per year;
- about 8,000 jobs in the industry;
- the online segment is growing by 15-20% per year.
The gambling business also supports sports and culture: the largest brands are Superbet, Betano, Fortuna - sponsors of football clubs and national teams.
Challenges and challenges
Despite its success, the market faces a number of challenges:- combating unlicensed sites;
- control over crypto transactions;
- the need to update legislation for new technologies (VR, NFT games);
- protection of minors.
ONJN actively collaborates with the European Association of Gambling Regulators (EGBA) to share experiences and harmonize standards.
Development prospects
Romania has firmly established itself as the regional leader of iGaming.
Key trends for the coming years:- licensing simplification for startups and international brands;
- implementation of a centralized online rate monitoring platform;
- development of crypto-gambling under ONJN control;
- expansion of Responsible Gaming programs;
- Integration with EU Gaming ID
With balanced policies, technological development and an open market, Romania is today considered one of the most progressive and sustainable jurisdictions in Europe for online casinos and gambling, combining strict control with an innovative approach and high player confidence.
