Romania is the 12th largest country in Europe with an area of 238,397 square kilometres, and also the 7th most populous member state of the EU, having almost 20 million inhabitants. Located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, with its borders at the Black Sea to the southeast, Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, and Moldova to the east.

According to the World Bank, Romania is a high-income country with a mixed economy. With one of the largest reserves of crude oil and shale gas in Europe, it is among the most energy-independent countries in the European Union. Romania is a net exporter of electrical energy and is 48th worldwide in terms of the consumption of electric energy. Around a third of the produced energy comes from renewable sources.

At Internet speeds for 2020, Romania is ranked 3rd in the world, and it ranks number one in Europe, with Timișoara ranked among the highest in the world. Tourism is a significant contributor to the Romanian economy, generating around 5% of GDP. In 2019, Romania had 48,200 companies that were active in the hotel and restaurant industry, with a total turnover of EUR 4.2 billion. The number of tourists has been steadily rising, reaching 12.45 million foreign tourists in 2019.

Since 2000, Romania has attracted increasing amounts of foreign investment, becoming the single largest investment destination in Southeastern and Central Europe. The online gaming industry is now very well regulated and in line with legislative models in the EU, but with better taxation and many extra advantages. The detailed study of successful European regulations and the input of gaming associations guarantee that Romania is a new big market for online gaming operators. The Romanian gambling market is a rapidly growing enterprise, emerging as an attractive European destination for prominent international operators.

The government of Romania offers casino operators, software, and service providers in the gambling industry, with a gambling license that allows gambling operators to conduct business related to casino, lotto, and other gaming-related activities. Romania Gambling License is one of the most popular licenses for online casinos worldwide.

Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009 on the organization and operation of gambling activities is the central piece of legislation pertaining to gambling. The law was amended in 2013 (Government Emergency Ordinance no. 20/2013). The amendment laid down the functions of The National Gambling Office. Fast forward to 2014 and we saw operators and providers being allowed to provide online gambling services to residents of Romania.

Romania’s infrastructure offers a wide array of services for online gaming operators and providers, such as high-capacity private racks, private cloud services, custom dedicated servers amidst other hosting options. Romania has long been recognized as one of the preferred locations for Online Gambling operators to base their operations. This success has been due to a combination of factors, such as a progressive legislative system, political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well established financial services industry. A wide range of gambling sites operates out of Romania including sports betting, casino sites, poker, bingo, and more.

The Romanian legislation which impacts upon gambling activities comprises the following main normative acts:

• Government Emergency Ordinance no. 77/2009 on the organization and operation of games of chance (“GEO no. 77/2009”);
• Government Decision no. 111/2016 for the approval of the Methodological Norms for implementation of GEO no. 77/2009 (the “Secondary Legislation”);
• Government Emergency Ordinance no. 20/2013 on the organization and functioning of the National Gambling Office and for the modification and supplementation of GEO no. 77/2009;
• Government Decision no. 298/2013 on the organization and functioning of the National Gambling Office;
• Law no. 227/2015 regarding the Fiscal Code (“Romanian Fiscal Code”);
• Law no. 207/2015 on the Fiscal Procedure Code;
• Order issued by the President of the National Gambling Office no. 47/2016 for the approval of the content, reports, and access to information transmitted by remote gambling operators to the National Gambling Office;
• Order issued by the President of the National Gambling Office no. 48/2016 for the approval of the procedure for fulfilling the conditions for connecting land-based slot machines and betting-type games of chance; and
• Order issued by the President of the National Gambling Office no. 93/2016 for the approval of the mandatory requirements for certification and audit of the remote gambling systems.

Let’s talk more about the benefits by understanding the reasons why obtaining a Romanian igaming license may be ideal for you.

When starting a Romania Online Gambling Business, first of all, it’s important to think about one of the most essential procedures, that is company registration and acquisition of the license. Romania Gambling License gives many excellent opportunities to each licensee and makes their business profitable.

Operators established as Romanian legal entities, as well as foreign operators generating a permanent establishment in Romania, will also be required to pay the general corporate income tax in the amount of 16% applied to taxable profit. The law provides an exception regarding land-based casino activities, where it is stated that this category may be subject to a 5% turnover tax in the case that the profit tax is less than 5% of their revenue.

Romania has political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well-established financial services industry. In addition, it maintains an attractive environment for international online gaming companies. Romania Gambling License is recognized by many countries all over the world, so you will have a large potential customer base after getting it.

In order to obtain a Romania Gambling License, the decision to approve the application is at the discretion of the National Gambling Office, based on the documentation submitted by our experts. Romania issues one Online Gambling license which covers all gaming operations, igaming service providers, network operators, affiliates, white-label operators, and igaming software suppliers.

With this Romania Gambling License, online gaming companies can operate legally. Each applicant undergoes a thorough assessment, ensuring that licenses are only awarded to those applicants who are able to demonstrate such a financial standing and integrity as to preserve the international reputation of Romania as an online gambling hub.

In case something does not correspond to requirements, the National Gambling Office will provide a checklist of necessary improvements. A Romania Gambling License covers all forms of online gambling including Casino, eSports, Poker, Sports Betting, Online Lotto, Bingo, Horseracing, Bitcoin Casino, Fantasy Sports, Games of Skill, and other gaming-related activities.

• Residence in Romania. Operators wishing to offer their services to Romanian gamblers must be residents of Romania, EU or EEA and they must obtain the relevant licenses and authorizations from the ONJN. In case the company is a foreign entity, it must appoint a local authorized representative, whose domicile is in Romania, to deal with the competent authorities in the country and have the power to conclude contracts on its behalf
• Opening of a bank account with one of the banks in Romania where the operator would need to deposit the players’ money. Licensed remote gaming operators will only be allowed to make payments to players through the payment processors that have been approved by the ONJN
• Requirements regarding the minimum share capital of the company depending on the type of game it offers
• A monthly declaration giving details regarding income from games of change as well as the fees due will have to be submitted to the ONJN on a standard form
• Compliance with the principles regarding the protection of minors as well as with the content of the promotional material used and the locations where they can be displayed