The first reaction of the gambling industry after the restrictions in the new laws: “Beware, push players to the black market!”

Asked by HotNews and GOLAZO, Superbet, the leader of the gambling market, says that in 2025 it paid taxes of 420 million euros and that it is the main private sponsor in Romanian sports. For their part, two industry associations claim that “such a law will in effect lead to the complete elimination of advertising to licensed operators and to the exposure of only unlicensed ones”.

On February 16, the Senate voted to take new measures to protect young people from gambling addiction. The vote was: 97 votes for, 8 against and 2 abstentions. HotNews and its sports website, GOLAZO.ro, talked to the parliamentarians. They presented their arguments “for” and “against”.

“Laws made on the knees” vs “a public health problem”

The laws provide:

• Raises the age at which someone can gamble from 18 to 21.
• Prohibits the display of any betting advertisement in the online environment between the hours of 6:00-24:00.
• Prohibits the use of public figures in gambling advertisements.

When interviewed, opponents in the Senate spoke of “laws made on their knees.” And about the dilemma: Are young people old enough to vote but not old enough to gamble? The parliamentarians talked about the danger that the activity of the companies will be affected again and a migration to the black market will follow.

On the other hand, pro-restriction senators argue that the state is abandoning its role if it shifts the discussion exclusively to an issue of individual choice.

“It's a public health problem, a scourge,” said those who voted for the law. They argued with examples from other industries subject to restrictions on public health grounds. “Why, when we took measures against tobacco, alcohol and drugs, didn't we say: let the state step aside and let young people decide for themselves?”.

The gambling industry stifles the part of society that talks

After the vote in the Senate, the one in the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making chamber, will follow. In general, especially on this topic, it took months before the decisive vote.

In the coming period, we will continue to present different points of view and multiple perspectives. Because gambling and sports betting is a matter of great public interest.

The debate is difficult. One of the reasons is that, being very powerful, as the journalist Cătălin Tolontan opined in a recent article, “the gambling industry has broken its connection with a part of society. It works by force, punishing those who do not glorify it”.

Basically, the gambling industry has become accustomed to being defended, not to discuss its role. And then it suffocates through economic dictates the part of society that discusses, the journalist believes. Consequence? This forceful attitude can provoke an extreme response from citizens, society and authorities against the industry.

We asked for the position of the affected companies and industry

GOLAZO.ro, the sports site of Hotnews, asked for the position of companies and associations in the gambling industry after the vote in the Senate.

Superbet, the local market leader, and two organizations responded: FEDBET (Federation of Gambling Organizers) and AOJND (Association of Remote Gambling Organizers).

Their reactions converge on the same idea: if passed in this form, the laws will push players to the black market. In no case will the purpose of protection be achieved.

Superbet: “Restrictions would only benefit the black market”

Superbet says that “the protection of minors is a fundamental principle for our company, we apply a strict identity verification process before any account is activated. At the same time, illegal operators do not verify the age of users, do not pay taxes and do not apply consumer protection measures.”

Superbet says that in 2025 it paid taxes of 420 million euros, that it is the main private sponsor in Romanian sports and continues: “Any legislative change must be evaluated according to how it can be translated into practice.”

The “illegal betting scandal” is real

A series of investigations by GOLAZO about the black market, “The Octopus of Illegal Betting”, revealed that in Romania “at 30 legally registered companies there are over 1,700 sites targeting Romanians with black betting”.

“If the new restrictions mainly affect licensed operators, while illegal platforms continue to operate freely, there is a high risk that gaming activity will move from the regulated environment, where there are protection mechanisms, to unregulated environments.”

Cites cases and consequences from Lithuania, Estonia and Greece

Superbet claims that in the EU, only Lithuania, Estonia and Greece have raised the legal player age to 21.

Superbet cites a study from Greece, according to which 54.5% of people playing on the black market cited the restrictions on the official market and the much more relaxed procedures of illegal operators as the reason.

AOJND: “You cannot unplug the Internet between certain hours”

The Association of Remote Gaming Operators (AOJND) is the most outspoken about the proposal to restrict online advertising: “Both legislative proposals have the potential to create major social problems by exponentially increasing the number of people who will choose to play on unlicensed sites without any protection, whether it's addiction issues or losing substantial sums.”

Punctually, about the proposal to allow online ads only at night, AOJND says: “It is impossible to apply in practice! As CNA also pointed out in its observations on the law, you cannot unplug the Internet during certain hours. Sites cannot be hidden during certain hours.”

“Google and Facebook allow ads to unlicensed operators in Romania”

“Plus, at the moment, both Google and Facebook allow advertising to unlicensed operators in Romania. Such a law will actually lead to the complete elimination of advertising to licensed operators and to the exposure of only unlicensed ones.”

“Member states such as France, Spain, Italy or Denmark have demonstrated that effective measures are those that strengthen the mechanisms of compliance, supervision and social responsibility, not those that excessively restrict the activity of authorized operators, generating migration to the black market”, insists the association led by Odeta Nestor, former head of ONJN.

FEDBET: “No constitutional reason cited. And black market lurks”

The Federation of Gambling Organizers (FEDBET), under the umbrella of which the Romanian Bookmakers, Romslot and Rombet associations came together, claims that the proposal to raise the minimum age is not constitutional:

“The law confers rights from the age of 18. In a rule of law, any measure that restricts the exercise of fundamental rights should only be imposed in completely and utterly exceptional situations.”

“In this sense, Article 53 of the Constitution imposes reasons of national security, order, health or for the prevention of particularly serious calamities or disasters.”

“However, in the case of the legislative proposal we are talking about, none of the express and limiting reasons provided by the Constitution for the application of such a restriction are mentioned. It also does not result in the existence of any imminent and immediate danger or any health crisis that would justify such a measure. Gambling is a legal activity, taxed and strictly controlled by the Romanian state”.

FEDBET warns that any significant restriction without parallel measures against the black market risks producing the exact opposite of the desired effect: “There is a risk that the objective of protection will not be achieved, but only a relocation of consumption behavior.”

“In Romania there is already a clear legislative framework regarding the access of minors to gambling”

The organization points out that “Romania is not in an area of ​​lack of regulation, but on the contrary, in one with clear rules and control mechanisms and institutions. In Romania there is already a clear legislative framework regarding the access of minors to gambling. This is prohibited, and the members of our Federation have zero tolerance for any deviation from this principle.”

Regarding advertising, FEDBET has a nuanced position: it claims that the limitations are “necessary and legitimate in a sensitive area, we want to be an active partner of the state in this endeavor”, but warns that “total restrictions risk weakening the visibility of the regulated environment and creating an indirect advantage for the black market”.