Gambling Licensing and Regulation in Romania

Romania offers a well-regulated gambling space for operators, making it an attractive market for foreign investors and gaming companies alike. Any form of gambling activity – from land-based casinos and betting agencies to online gambling websites is lawful inasmuch as the operator is appropriately licensed and authorised under Romanian law.

This article gives an overview of Romanian gambling law, including how to get a gambling licence in Romania (sometimes called an ONJN licence after the regulator), what the licence application process is, and the continuing compliance requirements. Whether you're considering how to start a casino in Romania or debut a remote (online) gambling website in Romania, such as https://cazinouonlineromania.com/, a grasp of the legal environment is the key to success.

Legal Framework for Gambling in Romania

The gaming sector in Romania is subject to a comprehensive legal framework, the foundation of which is established by Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77regarding the Organisation and Operation of Games of Chance (GEO 77), which establishes the primary rules for all gambling activities. Implementing norms are set out in Government Decision no. 111, approving the Methodological Norms for applying GEO 77.

These two pieces of legislation establish the main licensing requirements, operating requirements, and prohibitions for gambling. The law has been incrementally detailed over the years by various amendments in order to consolidate regulation and align with EU standards. For example, GEO 82 further amended GEO 77, as well as the ONJN constitutive law, and the ONJN President's Order no. 79 introduced a single procedure for self-exclusion (player opt-out) for all operators.

Licensing System: Class I vs Class II Licences

Romania operates a two-tier licensing system in overseeing the different gambling activities and related services:

Class I Licence (Operator Licence)

A Class I licence is required for any business-to-consumer (B2C) gambling operator offering games of chance to consumers. These cover traditional operators (casinos, betting offices, slot machine halls, bingo halls, poker clubs, etc.) and online gambling operators targeting the Romanian market. A Class I licence gives the right to the holder to operate one or more types of gambling, but must be supplemented by individual operating authorisations for each game or location.

The Class I licence is generally for a period of 10 years and is renewable. In addition, once licensed, the operator must obtain an authorisation to conduct each gambling activity. Authorisations are generally issued on an annual basis (renewed yearly upon payment of fees/taxes) and may be venue-specific for each premises or each internet site/domain. For internet gambling, one authorisation can include the whole platform (which can utilise several domains), while for terrestrial gambling the authorisation can be issued per location or per device (e.g. per slot machine or per casino room).

Class II Licence (Supplier Licence)

Class II licences are for business-to-business (B2B) service providers and gambling-related suppliers that provide services to the gambling sector. This stipulation guarantees that all the significant service providers are endorsed by ONJN. Examples of service providers that need a Class II licence are gambling software developers, platform and hosting/data centre providers, live streaming casino services, payment processors providing gambling payments, certification labs and auditors certifying gaming equipment and software, and even marketing affiliates promoting gambling sites. In short, if your company will provide any necessary product or service to Romanian licensed gambling operators (i.e., game software, payment services, affiliate marketing or testing services), you will require a Class II licence from ONJN. A Class II licence is typically granted for 10 years with yearly renewals, and it includes its own compliance obligations. 

Advertising Regulations

Advertising of gambling services is legal in Romania for licensed operators, although it is heavily regulated to ensure responsible advertising. Gambling advertising is governed both by the gambling law and by general advertising and audiovisual laws. The key restrictions are:

• No advert addressing juveniles (under 18) or featuring juveniles in gambling contexts.
• No TV or radio gambling advertising during daytime – such advertising can be broadcast only in late evening slots to limit juveniles' exposure.
• Physical advertising (billboards, posters) for gambling may not be placed near schools, playgrounds, churches or other sensitive locations.
• The advertising content must include responsible gambling warnings and must not breach decency standards. Deceptive messages are not allowed.
• Promotional offers and bonuses may not be advertised in public media other than the operator's own media.
• Sponsorship by gambling operators (e.g., of sporting teams or events) is allowed, and many operators do sponsor Romanian sport.

Non-compliance with advertising rules can lead to sanctions and fines. Moreover, advertising any unlicensed gambling activity (even foreign websites lacking an ONJN licence) is forbidden. More recently, ONJN has even pressured major online players (Google, Meta) to delist ads for blacklisted gaming sites. Licensed operators should therefore ensure that all marketing partners (affiliates, ad agencies) are complying with the Romanian advertising regulations.