Obtaining a Gambling License in Romania

Licensing in Romania is the responsibility of the state regulator – the Gambling Commission. The body establishes rules and requirements and monitors compliance with them. Gambling in the country was legalized in 2009, and the Commission was formed in 2013. Since then, the Commission has constantly improved the legislation, making obtaining a license more transparent.

The following legal acts regulate the gambling sphere in Romania:

• Government Act No. 77/2009 on the organization and operation of gambling;
• Government Act No. 20/2013 on the organization and functioning of the national gambling regulator;
• Romanian Tax Code;
• Law No. 129/2019 on combating money laundering and criminal activities.

There are two main types of licenses in Romania. For companies that plan to provide services for players, there is a Type 1 license. Holders of this document can provide gambling services to customers. Type 2 licenses are for B2B companies that develop games or software for virtual casinos or other companies that operate in the gambling industry.

Requirements for Obtaining a Gambling License in Romania

To obtain a gambling license in Romania, you must meet numerous requirements. The first of them is the registration of the company on its territory or the territory of the European Economic Area countries. Only companies registered in Romania or the EU can get a license. It is mandatory to open an account in a Romanian bank.

In Romania, there are mandatory requirements for the authorized capital for companies that operate in the gambling business. The amount of the authorized capital depends on the list of services the gambling operator provides. The minimum is 30,000 lei ($7,500), and the maximum is 2,000,000 lei ($497,000).

There are requirements regarding servers. The main server must be in Romania or the EU countries’ territory. Mirror servers must be placed in Romania if the primary server is located in another EU country.

In Romania, casinos are obliged to pay taxes. Taxation rates and principles depend on the kind of services the company provides.