The government of Bulgaria has rejected the opposition’s proposals to amend the country’s gambling regulations by introducing a blanket ban on gambling ads and increasing...
From August 1, 2026, Bulgaria introduced a new licensing system specifically for gambling affiliates, targeting portals, digital intermediaries, and companies that send traffic to gambling platforms for commissions.
Affiliates were given until August 15, 2026, to submit applications for their licenses, with the National Revenue Agency (NRA) now responsible for supervising how individuals and businesses who rely on registrations and deposits get paid.
Under the new framework, all eligible affiliates will receive five-year licenses, each required to pay a €6,000 annual fee. Additionally, operators will be required to pay a 10% performance-based commission for every affiliate by withholding and sending the funds to the NRA. If a transaction is found to have hidden the commission rate, gambling operators will have to pay a 20% variable charge.
The licensing system has also established that affiliates can only promote operators that have valid Bulgarian gambling licenses, making the promotion of illegal platforms a crime, with fines ranging from €5,000 to €20,000. At the same time, authorities will have the power to confiscate any monetary funds that affiliates receive by promoting unlicensed operators.
The NRA will also be able to block any apps, social media pages, or websites if they use the services of unlicensed affiliates, and telecommunication providers will be required to implement the blocks within 24 hours.
