Gambling Laws in Romania

The region's inclusion in the Soviet Union in the mid to late 20th century ensured that all gambling was once banned. Things have moved on since and the national lottery was the first example of legalised gambling in the country.

In preparation for becoming a member state of the EU in 2007, Romania put a lot of effort into permitting all forms of betting in the country.

Which Types of Gambling Are Legal in Romania?

Thanks to Romania's eagerness to join the EU - all types of gambling activities are legal. Land-based betting has been permitted since around 1906, with a period of prohibition mid-century due to the country's membership in the Soviet Union.

Online gambling was a little slower to get off the ground. Again due to the country's desire to become an active member of the EU, the government made efforts to legislate the activity. The Romanian National Gambling Office regulatory body was then created in 2013.

The EU has raised concerns though. Particularly relating to the requirement that licensees have offices and servers in the country and pay questionable taxes. Still, some 25 or more properly licensed operators provide Romanians access to online gambling activities. A the same time, the government is taking steps to block around 1,300 unlicensed online operators from reaching the population.

Betting on Casino Games

Land-based casinos have been legal since 1991, and Romania currently has just 5 of these which is the lowest per capita in Europe. Residents also have access to various slot parlours and halls.

Online gambling sites have been legal in the country since 2010. But only at one of the Class 2 licence-holder platforms which are approved by the National Gambling Office. Unlicensed operators are actively blocked and prohibited from applying for a licence in the future. 

Poker Gambling

Poker enjoys a legal status in Romania, with several halls scattered throughout some of the country's cities and most of the land-based casinos. Some popular tournaments are hosted, such as the Romanian Poker Championship and PokerFest.

Playing the game on the internet is hugely popular and residents can access some of the biggest online casinos in Europe for this.

Playing Bingo With Real Money

Bingo is legal and popular with the older generation of residents. There are numerous halls nationwide and some casinos also offer games.

Online bingo gambling is also legal but there isn't a market need for this, so no sites currently offer the game.

Purchasing Lottery Tickets

Loteria Romana is the singular offline lottery operator, giving it a monopoly over the activity. The company does have a website and in 2020 the government permitted it to sell tickets and instant win games online.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

It's fully legal to gamble at home on card games with money. Offshore social casinos which allow players to access games online with 'chips' are also allowed as no money is exchanged.

Gaming that borders on the cusp of being classed as gambling, such as loot boxes aren't specified in Romania's current laws and are therefore legal by default.

Crypto is permitted in the country but isn't yet considered legal tender by the government. Making it unaccepted as a payment method by any of the land-based gambling venues. Online crypto gambling sites are also not supported but plenty of offshore platforms do accept players from Romania - even though this is illegal.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Romania?

Both offline and online sports betting are legal. Numerous high-street bookmakers throughout the country are unrelated to Romania's lottery monopoly too. Giving residents a wide variety of choices when it comes to markets and odds.

Several online sports betting sites are also licensed to operate in Romania.

What's the Minimum Age to Gamble in Romania?

This is 18 for all types of gambling whether in-person or online.

Romanian Gambling Tax Regulations

These lay out a variety of fees that operators must pay to provide their services within the country. Casinos and slot halls have a fixed fee per table or machine whilst land-based venues are taxed based on entrants. Sports betting and online gambling sites are charged 16% of their total revenue. On the beneficial side, gambling is VAT-exempt in Romania.

For players, winnings from gambling are taxed at a progressive rate based on the amount won. With 1% charged on winnings up to €13,500, 16% for €13,500 to €90,000 and 25% on winnings above €90,000.

History of Gambling Laws in Romania

The earliest law for gaming was for the Loteria Romana in 1906, but gambling in the country experienced a tumultuous journey through the rest of the 20th century. Due to the country's inclusion in the Soviet Union and falling under communist control from 1948 to 1989, gambling during that time was banned.

The government began pumping money into the industry in 2003 to make the region more attractive to its EU neighbours and generate much-needed revenue. In 2007 Romania earned its status as a member of the EU.

2009 saw gambling legislation put into place under the Organisation and Operation of Gambling Activities.

There were problems with this new law in that while gambling was now legal, it was only allowed under licence by a regulatory body that didn't yet exist. The law was amended and modernised in 2013 to form the new regulatory body, the National Gambling Office, which was then able to issue licences.

In 2020, Romania's lottery operator, Loteria Romana started offering people the opportunity to buy lottery tickets online via their website.

Key Facts

Gambling in Romania is largely legal and the country has some of the most lenient laws in the world. The only form not legal are those activities carried out on unlicensed premises or online sites. The government is taking steps to prevent unlicensed operators from providing their services in the country via ISP blocks.

Playing slots, RNG tables, online live casino games, poker, bingo, lottery and betting on sports are all perfectly legal and accessible.