Backed by city mayors, a draft bill proposes local controls including new taxes on gambling licences, a situation that underscores the ONJN losing of all authority in governing Romania’s gambling sector.

Further rifts have emerged in the governance of Romania’s gambling sector, as city halls rally behind a bill to introduce “a local control of gambling”.

The draft law, presented by the Ministry of Development, would give municipalities the power to license or prohibit gambling premises based on local development priorities, urban planning, public order and community health.

While national licensing would remain under the authority of the Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN), mayors are pushing for a transfer of powers that would allow them to decide where and how gambling venues operate in their districts.

Currently, gambling operators require only a national licence, with local councils limited to a notification role. The reforms would introduce new “zoning authorisations”, enabling city halls to designate where gambling can take place and block operations in sensitive or disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

The push is being spearheaded by Nelu Popa, Mayor of Reșița, who has urged the government to grant more local powers, citing ONJN’s failure to enforce restrictions. He argues this has led to a proliferation of betting shops and gambling arcades, in which no gambling business appears to have followed the rules. 

Local Tax Whip

Once more, the government of Romania will review a proposal with significant consequences for the gambling sector. Draft measures seek to apply further taxation, with local councils aiming to impose a direct levy to offset the social costs of gambling.

The Ministry of Development said the reforms would “create the premises for real public control over an economic activity with high social risk, adapted to the context of each community”, highlighting the need to fund social assistance, public order and community services.

The push for local taxation comes as the central government has already moved to realign tax duties on online gambling, adjusting rates on gambling verticals and player winnings as Romania’s newly elected cabinet seeks to close budget deficits reported to be at 30 billion lei (circa €6.6bn).

As such, the Ministry of Development will propose the draft bill as part of a “new package of fiscal measures” to be reviewed by newly elected President Nicușor Dan and Finance Minister Barna Tánczos.

ONJN has No Trust

Too many City Hall demands reflect a total loss of trust in ONJN, the gambling authority whose reputation has collapsed following a damning audit that revealed how, between 2019 and 2023, lax oversight and outdated technology left nearly €1bn in taxes and fees uncollected.

The scandal triggered a change in leadership. Former president Gheorghe-Gabriel Gheorghe refused to appear before Parliament and later resigned. He was replaced in April 2025 by Vlad-Cristian Soare, who pledged to tighten enforcement and restore credibility.

Yet calls are mounting for the complete dissolution of ONJN. The Save Romania Union (USR), a coalition partner in President Nicușor Dan’s government, argues that only a full regulatory overhaul can restore public trust. With ONJN unable to account for its failures before Parliament, USR ministers have demanded that its powers be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and the National Tax Administration Agency (ANAF).

As an interim measure, USR has urged the government to impose a spending cap on gambling deposits of 10% of an individual’s income. ONJN has pushed back, insisting that such controls cannot be technically implemented by Romanian authorities.

Industry observers note that wider reforms are still at an early stage. In commentary shared with SBC, consultancy 4H Agency explained: “The draft law, officially titled ‘On measures to increase the financial capacity of administrative-territorial units, including amendments to related acts’, remains at the Government stage. 

“The proposal has completed public consultation and received a favourable opinion from the Economic and Social Council on 29 August 2025. However, it has not yet been registered in Parliament. The next procedural step will be a Government decision to submit the draft for parliamentary debate and vote.”

2026: Full Overhaul or Slow Death 

Thus far 2025 has been a year of unrelenting ruptures and conflicts for Romanian gambling, underscored by the clear regulatory failings of ONJN. Amid political change at the federal level, parties remain divided over taxation, licensing, market rules and enforcement duties.

The state of constant disruption has left Romania losing ground to neighbouring jurisdictions, where regulatory stability has encouraged investment and innovation in gambling enterprises. As a new government settles, local observers look to 2026 as a period of reckoning for Romania to solve the regulatory dysfunctions of gambling and its governance.