Bulgaria Bans Nearly All Gambling Advertisements

The Bulgarian administration has approved a legislation that will implement fresh rules and regulations on wagering promotion, leading to the prohibition of nearly all gambling advertisements.

The legislation was presented last week and aims to modify Bulgaria’s gambling law. The proposal suggests prohibiting gambling advertisements online, on television, radio, and in printed publications. Advertisements will also be prohibited from appearing on structures.

The legislation was jointly presented by the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

The new regulations appear to be coming into effect shortly. Yesterday (April 30), approximately 198 members of parliament voted in favor of the legislation during a second reading, with no absences or abstentions.

The approval of the legislation signifies that it will come into effect three days after its publication in the State Gazette. The exact timing of this publication remains unclear.

What are the new rules and regulations in Bulgaria?

The legislation aims to modify Bulgaria’s gambling law. It incorporates various other modifications to the nation’s laws, with the new advertising being the primary amendment.

In addition to specifying where advertisements cannot be displayed, the legislation also includes information on where advertisements are permitted to be displayed. Advertisements are only permitted to appear on billboards that are more than 100 meters away from educational institutions and located on the buildings of gaming halls and casinos.

The Bulgarian government has voted to prohibit gambling advertisements.

Nevertheless, this prohibition does not apply to televised broadcasts of Bulgarian sports lottery drawings.

Commercials that appear must also incorporate responsible gambling details. The legislation dictates that this must occupy at least 10% of each advertisement and furnish pertinent information for consumers.

Operators who fail to adhere to the new regulations could confront penalties of up to 50,000 Bulgarian lev (21,842 pounds/25,565 euros/27,285 dollars). Repeat offenders could also have their operational licenses in Bulgaria rescinded.

The Electronic Media Council will supervise the enforcement of the regulations. In the event of any breaches, it will refer the matter to the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA).

Additional amendments to gambling regulations
Other provisions included in the now-approved bill involve augmenting the amount of capital companies require to apply for a slot machine permit. This will escalate from 500,000 Bulgarian lev to a higher 750,000 Bulgarian lev.

The bill also solely permits slot machines and casino gambling in regions with a population exceeding 10,000 individuals. This excludes national resorts and border zones. Earlier this month, the Romanian parliament voted on a similar proposition.

In the meantime, licensees must now pay a “social responsibility fee” which is established at 100,000 Bulgarian lev for online gambling. 50% of this will be allocated to the Ministry of Health to assist in treating and supporting gambling addicts.

In addition to other modifications, one alteration forbids the expulsion of individuals receiving social aid from the national self-exclusion gambling registry.

Bulgaria: A Flourishing Gambling Industry
These recent changes are merely a portion of a string of adjustments made by Bulgaria’s gambling oversight body.

Last August, the National Revenue Agency (NRA) formed a new anti-money laundering division to implement anti-money laundering regulations. This encompasses crucial matters like customer verification and transaction monitoring.

Similarly, last year, the NRA instructed operators to prohibit self-excluded employees from entering casinos or gambling establishments.

The NRA assumed regulatory responsibilities for gambling in the nation after Bulgaria dissolved the National Gambling Commission in 2020.

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