It has been a long and thorny path to the regulated online gambling market in Romania. Even though it was legalized by the Government in 2009, it took seven years more to get the whole concept to work if not at full then at least at relatively solid capacity.
Various games of chance have always been popular in this EU state most widely known for its forested region of Transylvania, which was once home to ferocious Count Dracula.
Loteria Romana...
...the country's national lottery, was created as far back as in 1906 as a response to the growing public interest in this type of entertainment.
Intended to put an end to the need of visiting neighbors and taking part in their lotteries, the new institution was also a great support to numerous charitable and cultural projects.
Besides assisting musicians and writers, it was involved in collecting money for historic landmarks such as the Saint Joseph Catholic Cathedral in Bucharest, Romanian Athenaeum, and the Romanian Cultural League.
Suffering from multiple difficulties and limitations during the Communist era, Loteria Romana is still going strong today and gets along with the innovative forms of web-based gaming, which is definitely gaining momentum.
Established in 2013 to be in charge of all gambling-related activities across the country, the National Gambling Office is the only licensing and regulating authority that monitors all legal operators and compiles a blacklist of unlicensed websites.
Online Gambling Laws in Romania
Both land- and web-based gambling are regulated by the following legislative framework:
- Government Emergency Ordinance 77/2009 - legalizes online gambling and describes the process of the organisation and operation of games of chance.
- Government Emergency Ordinance 20/2013 - establishes the organisation and functioning of the National Gambling Office
- Government Decision 298/2013 - regulates the functioning of the National Gambling Office.
- Government Decision 111/2016 - approves the Methodological Norms for implementation of Government Emergency Ordinance 77/2009 on the organisation and operation of games of chance.
In addition to that, the entire spectrum of gambling activities is subject to a number of orders, instructions, and decisions enacted by the National Gambling Office.
Speaking of licensing ...
...in accordance with current laws, online casinos must obtain a Class1 license (mandatory for B2C operators) and one (or more) authorizations to provide games of chance. In their turn, all B2B suppliers such as software developers, payment processors, auditors, market affiliates are required to have a Class 2 license.
Although the NGO provides for pretty strict technical conditions, they are not the reason prevented a mushrooming of the online market in Romania.
In fact, the pretty unfavorable fiscal environment characterized by high taxation of the gambling sector is the one that doesn't look attractive to both internationally renowned brands and smaller venues focused on certain regions.
Getting Started with Romanian Online Casino Action
From the player's point of view, the climate for gambling online in Romania is conducive. Despite all efforts of the Government to block foreign sites, offshore venues manage to reach out to their customers.
Therefore, in addition to the websites licensed by the NGO, punters who live in the Land of Dracula can take advantage of the best international platforms that deliver festive Vegas atmosphere able to suit all tastes and preferences.
Many of the vibrant places feature Romanian interface and accept Romanian Leu, so playing your favorite video slot or table game can be a truly smooth experience. Just do not forget to read our detailed reviews below in order to find a casino that can meet all your needs.
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