The Senate of Romania has approved two bills that will apply new restrictions on gambling’s engagement and exposure with the general public.

Announced by MP Raluca Turcan, of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the bill is titled “Protect the Age of Innocence” and received approval from the Senate. The bill will increase Romania’s gambling age from 18-to-21.

Turcan was the author of the PNL’s proposal to “reset Romania’s gambling age to 21”, in response to a report by International NGO Save the Children, which ranked Romania as Europe’s highest rate of youth problem gambling. 

Her bill will progress to the Chamber of Deputies for final readings and if approved there, it will be signed into law by Niscusor Dan, President of Romania.

If the bill is fully approved, Romania will join other European markets like Belgium, Lithuania and the Netherlands in raising the minimum age for gambling from 18 to 21.

There are also attempts to introduce the same restrictions in neighbouring Bulgaria, which are being met with a coordinated pushback from the local gambling sector.

Romania also targets ads

In a further update, the Senate approved a Bill authored by Save Romania Union (USR) which calls on the government to ban all gambling advertising between 6am and 12am across online and audiovisual communication channels.

The bill carries the support of the parties forming the Pro-Europe alliance coalition government. Proponents call for a further blanket ban on the use of celebrities, athletes and influencers promoting gambling services. 

Commenting on the approval, Turcan proclaimed a clear victory for the mission to protect children and young people from gambling.

“Thank you to my fellow senators! I am glad that my initiative has been supported by parliamentarians from all the governing parties – USR, PSD and UDMR – who understand that the protection of young people must be above any political dispute.

“The profit of the gambling industry cannot be built on the vulnerability of children and young people.”

The reading of both bills will be prioritised by the Chamber of Deputies. At the start of the year Parliament authorised amenities to prioritise reforms to amend Romania’s Games of Chance Law (2009).

Urgent reform is required following the high-profile regulatory fallout in 2025, as Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN) remains under scrutiny due to failed audits of gambling licences totalling nearly €1bn in lost income.

Parliament demands MPs and parties  submit reforms by the first half of 2026, as extensive reforms of the gambling sector must be implemented this year, to resolve liabilities on licensing, taxation, retail inspections of which mayors no longer trust the authority of the ONJN.

In response, the ONJN changed its leadership ranks in 2025. Vlad-Cristian Soare was appointed as the new President of the regulator, tasked with undertaking a full review of its activities and conduct.

Soare has since taken charge of reforming the market, with player protection at the heart of his efforts. This has included the commissioning of a revamped national self-exclusion system with clearly outlined voluntary periods and prominent safer gambling messaging campaigns.