Romania Moves Closer to ‘Unblocking’ Online Gaming
Published in “World Online Gambling Law Report”, November issue
A proposal to amend Romania’s online gambling legislation, Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009, featured in the agenda of the plenary sitting of Romania’s Chamber of Duties on 18 November, which means that should the proposal be approved, the next step will be promulgation of the law by the Romanian President.
The aim of the proposal is to create an effective legal online gambling market in Romania, whilst addressing the EC’s concerns regarding the compliance of its gambling legislation with the EU Treaty, through inter alia revising the tax rules on winnings, and removing the requirement that offshore operators establish a legal entity in Romania in order to carry out online gambling services.
“Many amendments have been put forward, including: that operators conducting activities related to online gambling such as those offering management and hosting facilities, payment processors, and manufacturers and distributors of software, are obliged to obtain a licence to operate in Romania; and that mutual betting activities exit the monopoly of the National Company Loteria Romana,” explains Ana-Maria Baciu and Oana Albu of NNDKP.
Online gambling has been legal in Romania since 2010, however legal online gambling services have never been conducted because the body responsible for issuing licences and supervising the industry has never been allocated.
“Another amendment which should unblock the market,” adds Baciu “relates to the monitoring and supervision of online gambling, which will be exclusively performed by the National Office for Gambling.”
