Romanian gambling group warns licensing delays could close 80% of venues
FEDBET says local council decisions are holding up permit renewals and has asked authorities to allow compliant operators to continue temporarily.
Key points
- FEDBET warns Romania could lose around 80% of authorized slot machines and gambling venues by the end of 2026.
- The group forecasts 9,096 legally permitted gaming machines by January 1, 2027, without local action.
- Fewer than 4% of about 3100 administrative-territorial units had made necessary decisions by the end of April.
- FEDBET says licensing uncertainty has already affected around 8,500 jobs.
Romania could lose around 80% of its authorized slot machines and gambling venues by the end of 2026 because of delays in local licensing decisions, the Federation of Romanian Gambling Organisers warned in a November 9 statement.
The federation, known as FEDBET, says operators face uncertainty when renewing permits under Emergency Government Ordinance (GEO) No. 7/2026. It has asked authorities to issue temporary measures allowing operators that meet the new rules to keep working until local councils decide on permits.
The ordinance gives municipalities authority to permit gambling activity in their areas, according to The Gamblest. FEDBET says companies need decisions from local councils to obtain permission, while the National Gambling Office (ONJN) cannot extend licenses without agreement from those councils.
By the end of April, fewer than 4% of Romania’s about 3100 administrative-territorial units had taken the necessary decisions, the federation said. It projects that, without local action, the number of legally permitted gaming machines will fall to 9,096 by January 1, 2027, from 43,306.
FEDBET says around 8,500 jobs have already been affected by licensing uncertainty and estimates financial losses at around 320 million lei by the end of 2026. Romania’s Ministry of Finance had separately projected a 750 million lei shortfall in gambling tax revenue in its 2026 budget-amendment proposal.
The federation also argues that venue closures could move customers toward unlicensed operators without age checks, deposit limits or other protections. FEDBET President Alexandru Domșa said the ministry’s estimate did not capture the wider tax and contribution losses associated with eliminated jobs.
In Timișoara, local officials voted against allowing new gambling venues, while existing venues may operate only until their licenses expire. Romania also banned slot machine venues in towns with fewer than 15,000 residents in 2024, alongside tighter zoning and advertising rules.
Sources
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