Romania offers a well-regulated environment for gambling operators, making it an attractive market for international investors and gaming companies. All forms of gambling – from traditional casinos and betting shops to online platforms – are legal provided the operator holds the proper licence and authorisation under Romanian law.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of Romanian gambling law, outlining how to obtain a gambling licence in Romania (often referred to as an ONJN licence after the regulator), what the licensing process entails, and the ongoing compliance obligations. Whether you are exploring how to open a casino in Romania or launch a remote (online) gambling site in Romania, understanding the legal framework is essential to success.

Gambling license in Romania BMA Legal

Legal Framework for Gambling in Romania

Romania’s gambling sector operates under a comprehensive legal framework, with its foundation established by Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009 on the Organisation and Operation of Games of Chance (GEO 77/2009), which sets out the primary rules for all gambling activities. Detailed implementation norms are provided by Government Decision no. 111/2016, which approves the Methodological Norms for applying GEO 77/2009.

These two acts establish the main licensing requirements, operational conditions, and prohibitions for gambling. Over the years, the legislation has been refined through numerous amendments to strengthen regulation and align with EU standards. For example, GEO 82/2023 further amended GEO 77/2009 and the ONJN’s founding law, and the ONJN President’s Order no. 79/2025 introduced a unified procedure for self-exclusion (player opt-out) across all operators.

Notably, Romanian law permits both traditional and online gambling, under the condition that the operator is licensed and complies with all provisions. Private companies can operate games of chance by obtaining licences within the state’s regulatory framework.

One key exception is lotteries: by law, lottery games (including online lottery) are reserved to the national lottery company as a state monopoly. All other common gambling products like casino games, sports betting, poker, bingo, slot machines, etc. can be offered by private operators that meet the licensing criteria. The Romanian gambling law is thus investor-friendly but demands full compliance with its terms.

Role of the National Gambling Office (ONJN)

The National Gambling Office, known by its Romanian acronym ONJN (Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc), is the central regulatory authority overseeing the gambling industry. ONJN is responsible for issuing licences and authorisations, monitoring compliance, and enforcing gambling laws across both online and offline sectors. In practical terms, ONJN serves as the one-stop licensing agency – all Class 1 and Class 2 licences are granted by ONJN, and the agency’s Supervisory Committee evaluates licence applications regularly. ONJN also has quasi-regulatory powers to issue secondary regulations via orders of its President, which flesh out technical and procedural aspects (for example, technical standards for gambling systems, reporting requirements, or the new self-exclusion procedure).

ONJN carries significant enforcement authority. It can conduct inspections, investigate complaints, and impose sanctions on operators for non-compliance. Sanctions range from fines and warnings to the suspension or revocation of licences in serious cases. For instance, failure to pay required taxes or fees to the state budget can lead ONJN to revoke a gambling licence or suspend an operator’s activity. ONJN works closely with law enforcement and other government bodies to combat unlicensed gambling, and it maintains a public “blacklist” of unauthorised gambling websites. In summary, any prospective licensee must maintain a good relationship with ONJN and adhere to its regulations, as this agency will be your Romanian regulator and compliance partner throughout your gambling operations.

Licensing System: Class I vs Class II Licences

Romania has a two-tier licensing system to regulate 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 players. This covers traditional operators (casinos, betting shops, slot machine halls, bingo halls, poker clubs, etc.) as well as online gambling operators who target the Romanian market. A Class I licence grants the holder permission to organise one or more types of gambling, but it must be accompanied by specific operating authorisations for each game or location.

The Class I licence is generally valid for 10 years and is renewable. In addition, once licensed, the operator must obtain an authorisation to operate each gambling activity. Authorisations are typically issued on an annual basis (renewed every year upon payment of fees/taxes) and may be specific to each physical venue or each online platform/domain. For online gambling, a single authorisation can cover the entire platform (which may use multiple domains), whereas for traditional gambling the authorisation might be granted per location or per piece of equipment (e.g. per slot machine or per casino hall).

 

Class II Licence (Supplier Licence)

Class II licences apply to business-to-business (B2B) service providers and gambling-related suppliers that service the gambling industry. This requirement ensures that all major service providers are approved by ONJN. Categories of service providers needing a Class II licence include gambling software developers, platform providers and hosting/data centre services, live casino streaming providers, payment processors facilitating gambling payments, certification labs and auditors who certify gaming equipment and software, and even marketing affiliates who promote gambling sites. In short, if your company will provide any critical product or service to licensed gambling operators in Romania (such as game software, payment solutions, affiliate marketing or testing services), you must secure a Class II licence from ONJN. A Class II licence is also typically granted for a 10-year term with annual renewals, and it entails its own set of compliance obligations.

 

(Note: There is also a Class III licence category reserved for the Romanian national lottery operator, which has exclusive rights to run lottery games. This monopoly licence is not available to private investors and is held only by the state-owned lottery company.)

 

 

Remote vs Traditional Gambling

Romania does not separate online and offline gambling into entirely different licences. A Class I licence can be obtained for either land-based or online operations (or both). However, the law imposes some additional conditions on remote gambling operators. For example, online licensees must locate certain equipment in Romania (notably a mirror server on Romanian soil to record all transactions for regulatory monitoring) and must use Romanian-licensed Class II providers for payments and platform services. Likewise, online gambling websites targeting Romania must be operated by a locally licensed entity and connected to the central monitoring systems of ONJN.

Traditional gambling (e.g. brick-and-mortar casinos or slot halls) has its own specifics, such as minimum venue requirements (a city population threshold for opening a new slot machine venue). In general, though, the licensing regime is unified – both online and offline operators go through ONJN and adhere to GEO 77/2009 and its norms. Many international operators have successfully entered Romania’s remote gambling market since its regulation in 2015, taking advantage of this clear licensing system.

 

Step-by-Step Licensing Process and Documentation

Obtaining a gambling licence in Romania is a multi-step process involving company setup, preparation of extensive documentation, and regulatory review. Below is a step-by-step overview for a Class I operator’s licence (the process for a Class II supplier licence is similar in many respects):

1. Establish a Local Presence

The right to organise gambling in Romania is granted only to companies registered in Romania or to operators from the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation that have a registered branch (permanent establishment) in Romania. Therefore, a foreign investor will typically set up a Romanian company (usually a SRL – limited liability company, or an SA – joint-stock company) to serve as the licence applicant. There are no special corporate forms required by law, but the company must meet minimum capital requirements set by the gambling legislation (for instance, online operators are required to have a certain level of share capital) and have objects of activity that include gambling. The ownership can be 100% foreign, as there are no nationality restrictions on shareholders.

2. Prepare Application Documentation

Romanian gambling regulations list a comprehensive set of documents and information that must be submitted to ONJN for a licence. The documentation is aimed at proving the applicant’s suitability, financial soundness, and technical capability to operate gambling. Key components include:

    • Corporate documents – incorporation certificate, constitutive act (statutes), proof of registered office in Romania, and up-to-date company records.
    • Ownership and management details – disclosure of all direct and ultimate shareholders (beneficial owners), plus identification of directors and key personnel. The regulator will require criminal record certificates for owners and directors to ensure no relevant criminal history. Good standing declarations and CVs may be needed to establish a good reputation.
    • Financial evidence – recent financial statements or opening balance, proof of paid-up capital meeting the minimum threshold, and often a fiscal certificate showing no debts to the Romanian state (for existing companies). The applicant must demonstrate it can cover its financial obligations, including paying taxes and paying players’ winnings. Sometimes a bank guarantee or escrow deposit is required as security for taxes (especially for online operators).
    • Business plan and game details – a description of the gambling activities to be offered, the games and betting products, rules of play, and payout ratios. Online operators should detail their platform features and game software.
    • Technical systems and security – documentation about the IT system, including platform architecture, random number generator certifications for casino games, betting software certificates, and the ability to provide real-time data access to ONJN. Remote operators must outline how they will connect their systems (or mirror server) to ONJN’s data monitoring interface. Additionally, they must show contracts or arrangements with Class II-licensed providers (for hosting, software, payment processing, etc., as applicable) to confirm all critical services are compliant.
    • Internal policies – operators need internal procedures for anti-money laundering (AML) (in line with Law 129/2019) and responsible gambling. Proof of appointment of an AML officer and implementation of GDPR-compliant data protection measures is also typically required.

ONJN may ask for additional information as needed, but the above covers most core documents. All documents must be submitted in Romanian (with certified translations for foreign documents).

3. Submit the Licence Application

Complete the application forms provided by ONJN and submit the full dossier to ONJN. In practice, ONJN’s committee meets roughly twice per month to vote on pending applications. Along with the documents, the applicant must pay a non-refundable licence processing fee (analysis fee) to ONJN. An additional one-time licence issuance fee applies once the licence is ready to be issued. Proof of payment of these fees should accompany the application file.

4. Regulatory Review and Approval

ONJN will examine the documentation and may request clarifications or additional documents during the review. For most gambling activities, there is no in-person hearing; the decision is based on the paperwork provided. (An exception is if you seek to open a land-based casino, poker club or bingo hall.  In these cases, a prior on-site inspection by ONJN and police representatives is required before approval.) Assuming all conditions are met, the ONJN Committee will approve the licence. This process typically takes around one month from submission of a complete file. Once approved, the licence becomes effective on the 1st day of the following month after approval, provided the operator pays the requisite licence tax in time. ONJN will issue an official Order granting the Class I licence, which is published on its website.

5. Obtain Authorisations to Operate

Having a Class I licence alone does not entitle the company to start accepting players; the operator must also secure the gambling authorisation for each game or operation. The authorisation is essentially an annual operating permit and involves paying the annual authorisation fees/taxes for the specific gambling activity. For online gambling, the authorisation is typically one per platform (covering all games on that site), whereas for land-based gambling, authorisations can be issued per location or per item (e.g. per slot machine or per casino venue). The application for authorisation often goes hand-in-hand with the licence application and is approved at the same time, but the authorisation certificate is only valid for one year and must be renewed by paying the annual tax.

6. Post-Licensing Compliance

After obtaining the licence and necessary authorisations, the operator can commence operations. Licensees are subject to ongoing obligations: timely payment of gambling taxes and fees, submission of periodic reports to ONJN, compliance with anti-money laundering reporting, maintaining all equipment certifications up-to-date, and using only approved software and licensed suppliers. Any major changes (e.g. corporate changes, new games added, etc.) generally must be notified to or approved by ONJN. The licence holder should maintain a compliance team to ensure all requirements of Romanian gambling law and ONJN regulations are continuously met. Non-compliance can lead to penalties or even loss of the licence, so this is a critical step.

1. Establish a Local Presence

The right to organise gambling in Romania is granted only to companies registered in Romania or to operators from the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation that have a registered branch (permanent establishment) in Romania. Therefore, a foreign investor will typically set up a Romanian company (usually a SRL – limited liability company, or an SA – joint-stock company) to serve as the licence applicant. There are no special corporate forms required by law, but the company must meet minimum capital requirements set by the gambling legislation (for instance, online operators are required to have a certain level of share capital) and have objects of activity that include gambling. The ownership can be 100% foreign, as there are no nationality restrictions on shareholders.

2. Prepare Application Documentation

Romanian gambling regulations list a comprehensive set of documents and information that must be submitted to ONJN for a licence. The documentation is aimed at proving the applicant’s suitability, financial soundness, and technical capability to operate gambling. Key components include:

  • Corporate documents – incorporation certificate, constitutive act (statutes), proof of registered office in Romania, and up-to-date company records.
  • Ownership and management details – disclosure of all direct and ultimate shareholders (beneficial owners), plus identification of directors and key personnel. The regulator will require criminal record certificates for owners and directors to ensure no relevant criminal history. Good standing declarations and CVs may be needed to establish a good reputation.
  • Financial evidence – recent financial statements or opening balance, proof of paid-up capital meeting the minimum threshold, and often a fiscal certificate showing no debts to the Romanian state (for existing companies). The applicant must demonstrate it can cover its financial obligations, including paying taxes and paying players’ winnings. Sometimes a bank guarantee or escrow deposit is required as security for taxes (especially for online operators).
  • Business plan and game details – a description of the gambling activities to be offered, the games and betting products, rules of play, and payout ratios. Online operators should detail their platform features and game software.
  • Technical systems and security – documentation about the IT system, including platform architecture, random number generator certifications for casino games, betting software certificates, and the ability to provide real-time data access to ONJN. Remote operators must outline how they will connect their systems (or mirror server) to ONJN’s data monitoring interface. Additionally, they must show contracts or arrangements with Class II-licensed providers (for hosting, software, payment processing, etc., as applicable) to confirm all critical services are compliant.
  • Internal policies – operators need internal procedures for anti-money laundering (AML) (in line with Law 129/2019) and responsible gambling. Proof of appointment of an AML officer and implementation of GDPR-compliant data protection measures is also typically required.
  •  

ONJN may ask for additional information as needed, but the above covers most core documents. All documents must be submitted in Romanian (with certified translations for foreign documents).

3. Submit the Licence Application

Complete the application forms provided by ONJN and submit the full dossier to ONJN. In practice, ONJN’s committee meets roughly twice per month to vote on pending applications. Along with the documents, the applicant must pay a non-refundable licence processing fee (analysis fee) to ONJN. An additional one-time licence issuance fee applies once the licence is ready to be issued. Proof of payment of these fees should accompany the application file.

4. Regulatory Review and Approval

ONJN will examine the documentation and may request clarifications or additional documents during the review. For most gambling activities, there is no in-person hearing; the decision is based on the paperwork provided. (An exception is if you seek to open a land-based casino, poker club or bingo hall.  In these cases, a prior on-site inspection by ONJN and police representatives is required before approval.) Assuming all conditions are met, the ONJN Committee will approve the licence. This process typically takes around one month from submission of a complete file. Once approved, the licence becomes effective on the 1st day of the following month after approval, provided the operator pays the requisite licence tax in time. ONJN will issue an official Order granting the Class I licence, which is published on its website.

5. Obtain Authorisations to Operate

Having a Class I licence alone does not entitle the company to start accepting players; the operator must also secure the gambling authorisation for each game or operation. The authorisation is essentially an annual operating permit and involves paying the annual authorisation fees/taxes for the specific gambling activity. For online gambling, the authorisation is typically one per platform (covering all games on that site), whereas for land-based gambling, authorisations can be issued per location or per item (e.g. per slot machine or per casino venue). The application for authorisation often goes hand-in-hand with the licence application and is approved at the same time, but the authorisation certificate is only valid for one year and must be renewed by paying the annual tax.

6. Post-Licensing Compliance

After obtaining the licence and necessary authorisations, the operator can commence operations. Licensees are subject to ongoing obligations: timely payment of gambling taxes and fees, submission of periodic reports to ONJN, compliance with anti-money laundering reporting, maintaining all equipment certifications up-to-date, and using only approved software and licensed suppliers. Any major changes (e.g. corporate changes, new games added, etc.) generally must be notified to or approved by ONJN. The licence holder should maintain a compliance team to ensure all requirements of Romanian gambling law and ONJN regulations are continuously met. Non-compliance can lead to penalties or even loss of the licence, so this is a critical step.

By following the above steps, foreign investors can successfully obtain an ONJN licence and enter the Romanian market. The process is paperwork-intensive but well-defined, and many international brands have navigated it with the assistance of local legal counsel. Always plan ahead for the licensing timeline (approx. 1–2 months) and have your Romanian company and documents prepared in advance to avoid delays.

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Advertising, Responsible Gambling and Self-Exclusion

Advertising Regulations

Advertising of gambling services is legal in Romania for licensed operators, but it is tightly regulated to ensure responsible promotion. Gambling advertising is governed both by the gambling laws and by general advertising and audiovisual rules. Key restrictions include:

  • No advertising targeting minors (under 18) or portraying minors in gambling contexts.
  • No gambling adverts on television or radio during daytime – such ads can only be broadcast in late-night slots to limit exposure to minors.
  • Physical advertising (billboards, posters) for gambling must not be placed near schools, playgrounds, churches or other sensitive locations.
  • Advertising content must include responsible gambling warnings and respect decency standards. Misleading messages are prohibited.
  • Bonuses and promotional offers cannot be advertised in public media outside the operator’s own channels.
  • Sponsorships by gambling companies (such as sponsoring sports teams or events) are allowed, and many operators do sponsor Romanian sports.

Violating advertising rules can lead to fines and sanctions. Moreover, advertising any unlicensed gambling service (including foreign websites not holding an ONJN licence) is strictly forbidden. Recently, ONJN has even pressured major online platforms (Google, Meta) to remove ads for blacklisted gambling sites. Licensed operators should therefore ensure all marketing partners (affiliates, ad agencies) comply with the Romanian advertising regulations.

Responsible Gambling Obligations

Romania places a strong emphasis on responsible gambling as part of the licensing conditions. All operators must implement measures to protect players and mitigate gambling-related harm. These include: offering players tools to set deposit or loss limits, displaying information about gambling addiction helplines, training staff to identify and assist problem gamblers, and ensuring no minors can access gambling (strict ID verification). ONJN has also issued guidelines on the responsible promotion of gambling, encouraging messaging about moderation and the risks of addiction.

Between 2023 and 2025, new measures have been introduced to strengthen responsible gambling frameworks. A key development in this area is the establishment of a centralized self-exclusion system:

Self-Exclusion

In June 2025, the ONJN introduced an official procedure for player self-exclusion via Order no. 79/2025. This establishes a national registry of self-excluded persons, aiming to allow individuals to bar themselves from all licensed gambling venues and sites in one step. Under the new system, a person who wishes to stop gambling can submit a self-exclusion request to ONJN (either in person at ONJN offices, electronically with a certified e-signature, or even through any licensed gambling operator who must forward the request). ONJN then records the individual’s details in a secure database of self-excluded persons. All licensed operators are required by law to consult this database and deny gambling access or accounts to anyone listed as self-excluded. In other words, if a player has self-excluded, no casino in Romania and no Romanian-licensed gambling website may allow that person to gamble during the exclusion period. Operators must also promptly process any self-exclusion requests they receive and report them to ONJN, and they must have clear links on their websites for players to self-exclude. Prospective operators should be prepared to integrate their systems with the ONJN self-exclusion database and train their staff accordingly. Non-compliance (e.g. knowingly admitting a self-excluded person) can lead to severe penalties.

Overall, advertising and player protection rules in Romania ensure that while gambling is accessible, it is conducted in a socially responsible manner. International investors will find that these requirements are similar to standards in other European jurisdictions and are manageable with proper compliance planning.

National Blacklist and Enforcement Mechanisms

Romania actively protects its licensed market by enforcing against unlicensed gambling. A primary tool in ONJN’s arsenal is the national blacklist of illegal gambling websites. ONJN launched its blacklist in 2015 when the online market opened, and it has continually updated it since. The blacklist contains domain names of online gambling platforms that are operating without a Romanian licence. Once a site is blacklisted, Romanian internet service providers (ISPs) are legally required to block access to that website for users in Romania. Anyone attempting to visit a blocked gambling site from Romania will be redirected to an ONJN warning page stating “Your access to this site has been restricted by the National Gambling Office” and citing the legal authority for the block. This mechanism effectively protects licensed operators by stopping offshore or unregulated competitors from reaching Romanian players.

The ONJN blacklist is public, and dozens of sites have been added over the years in batches. ONJN monitors the internet and also relies on reports to identify new offending sites. It is important to note that facilitating access to blacklisted sites or promoting them is an offence – Romanian media and banks also cooperate to prevent transactions to such sites.

Beyond website blocking, ONJN’s enforcement powers include administrative fines and even criminal referrals. Under GEO 77/2009, organising games of chance without a licence or authorisation is a serious offence that can attract large fines and potential criminal liability. ONJN can impose fines on licensed operators as well for various breaches of regulations (for instance, breaches of advertising rules, AML failings, or allowing minors to gamble). In some cases or repeat violations, ONJN’s Supervisory Committee may suspend a licence or definitively revoke it. Recent enforcement actions have included licence revocations for non-payment of taxes and orders to big tech companies to take down ads for illegal operators.

 

In conclusion, Romania has developed a comprehensive legal regime for gambling that welcomes reputable operators while safeguarding players and public interests. The GEO 77/2009 framework and ONJN regulations provide clear pathways for obtaining a gambling licence in Romania, whether for a traditional casino or an online betting platform. Investors will find that an ONJN licence comes with substantial responsibilities (from meeting licensing conditions and paying taxes, to adhering to advertising rules and implementing responsible gambling measures, like the new self-exclusion system).

For international gaming companies and entrepreneurs evaluating how to open a casino in Romania or launch an Online Gambling website, the Romanian market offers stability, EU market access, and a growing customer base, provided you navigate the legal requirements with care. It is highly recommended to work with local legal advisors to efficiently handle the licensing process and documentation and to remain up to date with any legislative changes.

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