Multiple mayors in Romania are calling to add restrictions on land-based gambling, with Slatina’s mayor Mario de Mezzo seeking to ban gambling in the city.De Mezzo stated...
Romanian cities call for local control over gambling industry
Romania keeps strengthening its oversight of gambling, with city leaders now calling for a new law requiring more control over gambling.
The Ministry of Development introduced the draft bill, which aims to let cities base gambling decisions on local priorities like urban planning, public safety, and public health. Currently, councils can only advise on gambling venues, without real power to enforce rules.
If approved, municipalities could decide many things, such as where gambling halls can operate, issue licenses, set local taxes, or even ban establishments, reducing the role of the National Gambling Office (ONJN).
Gambling in Romania
Currently, the gambling sector in Romania is under regulatory target. Back in June 2025, Romania urged Meta and Google to block unlicensed gambling ads in the country. Later, the ONJN blocked 30 new websites operating without a license.
With the new bill, local taxes on gambling will also come to the front. Taxes could fund social programs and public services. This initiative comes alongside national changes to online gambling taxes, as Romania works to reduce its budget deficit of roughly 30 billion lei, which is about $7.1 billion.
FAQs
Is gambling legal in Romania?
Gambling in Romania is legal and is regulated by the National Office for Gambling (ONJN).
What is the legal gambling age in Romania?
The legal gambling age in Romania is 18.
The Senate of Romania has approved a new bill called “Protect the Age of Innocence”, which will add restrictions on gambling and increase the gambling age from 18 to 21.
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