Betting In Romania: Sites, Laws & Legislation

Last Updated: March 4, 2024

Online Gambling RomaniaRomania have recently changed their gambling and online gambling laws and legislation… and it’s mixed news for players.

Once illegal gambling is now legal for Romanians but ONLY with licensed operators. Some of the bigger bookmakers do hold a license but options are limited for players with some of the biggest companies (bet365 for example) not operating in the territory.

Check out all you need to know about online betting in Romania below and find a list of key Romanian laws which govern gambling and online gambling in the country.

Key Facts: Online Gambling In Romania

  • Gambling was once illegal in Romania but is now legal.
  • Over 20 different land based casinos and multiple betting shops throughout country.
  • Legal gambling age is 18+.
  • 2016 legislation opened up Romanian market to all gambling providers.
  • Players free to use any provider with a Romanian licence.

Best Betting Sites Romania: Top 3

The following is a list of the best betting sites for residents of Romania:

  1. 888Sport
  2. Unibet
  3. Betfair
1
888sport
100% up to 1,000RON
888SPORT REVIEW
CLAIM BONUS!
T&C’s apply – 18+.
2
unibet
100% up to 1,000RON
UNIBET REVIEW
CLAIM BONUS!
T&C’s apply – 18+.
3
betfair
150RON Risk Free First Bet
BETFAIR REVIEW
CLAIM BONUS!
T&C’s apply – 18+.

Gambling Legislation & Law: Timeline

There has not been a great deal of legislation passed by the Romanian government which deals directly with gambling. What there has been, however, is dealt with by the following timeline:

1906 – Loteria Romana

The first instance of legalised gambling in Romania came in 1906, when the country’s national lottery (Loteria Romana) was created. This reflected the general pro-gambling feeling within the country but this meant little to the Communist dictatorship which later rose to power. That regime banned all gambling and the ban persisted until the dictatorship fell.

1990s – Legalised Gambling

Following the fall of Romania’s communist dictatorship in 1990, gambling was almost immediately legalised once again. The first post-communist casino opened in 1991 and many other gambling establishments, including arcade halls and bookmakers, sprang up all over the country.

2009 – Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009

Following the growing international popularity of online gambling, the Romania government passed Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009. This ordinance legalised online gambling with a government licence but failed to lay down the process by which a licence could be sought or from which authority. No licences, therefore, were actually able to be either gained or granted.

2013 – Government Emergency Ordinance no. 20/2013

Eventually in 2013, the Romanian authorities passed Government Emergency Ordinance no. 20/2013. This created the National Gaming Office as the licensing and regulatory body of gambling in the country and also set out the rules which dictated which organisations could be granted online gambling licences. These rules set out that the provider had to have a physical base within Romania, and that the servers maintaining the sites also be situated there.

2016 – Approval of Draft Secondary Legislation

In the summer of 2016, draft secondary legislation which had been in the pipeline for over a year was finally approved to open up online gambling within Romania far more widely. It allowed for any organisation based within an EU member state, country with the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederacy to operate an online gambling site. The caveat, however, that the provider must run their Romanian mirror site from within the country itself was also included.

Do Players Get Taxed On Winnings?

Gambling TaxIt isn’t just the legislation regarding the legality of gambling in Romania which is important, it is also the rules regarding the taxation of gambling winnings. Unlike many countries, Romania unfortunately do levy income tax on winnings earned through gambling, both at land-based establishments and online.

For online gambling, annual declaration of winnings and payment of tax related to them are required as part and parcel of income tax payment. There are also measures in place to ensure that at least the most profitable punters are compelled to comply. Licenced online gambling operators are required to keep a record of punters’ profits higher than a certain threshold and to send this information to the relevant tax authorities.

Online Deposit Options & Methods

Deposit OptionsPunters betting entirely legally with online gambling providers which are properly licensed within Romania have a full range of deposit methods open to them. In many cases, therefore, those punters will choose to deposit by the easiest and quickest possible method and that most often equates to depositing via debit or credit card.

As we alluded to earlier, however, some punters do still bet with providers whose licensing situation is perhaps a little more uncertain. In those circumstance, punters often choose to deposit from e-wallet services which provide a buffer between their bank and the site itself.