Scandal in the world of gambling: Suspicions of massive fraud through false reporting to the Fisc

The National Gambling Office (ONJN) launched background checks on the profile operators, after identifying significant differences between the amounts declared and those paid, as well as suspicions of manipulation of the tax base (GGR) in the online environment.

Gambling operators suspected of manipulating the tax base. Pixabay photo

“About a month ago, I started an investigation, which I ordered following some serious clues that I had. Part of the objectives of the investigation became public two weeks ago, with the leak to the press of an internal e-mail (from January 23, 2026), through which we requested specific control actions from the directors. Today I can tell you that the aspects reported then have been confirmed”, said the president of the institution, Vlad-Cristian Soare.

According to him, since taking over the mandate, on April 25, 2025, he started numerous control actions, and due to some deficiencies discovered, he changed the former managements from the Control Directorate and from the Monitoring Directorate.

Following these checks, differences were found, among others, between the amounts declared and those actually paid, representing a potential damage of tens of millions of lei.

“Following the documentation actions regarding the declarations submitted by gambling organizers and the taxes actually paid, significant payment differences were identified, both in the case of remote gambling organizers and in the case of land-based gambling organizers. For example, in the case of a slot-machine gambling operator, a difference of approximately 18,000,000 lei was identified. At the same time, in the case of a remote gambling operator, a difference of approximately 5,000,000 lei was identified”explained Vlad-Cristian Soare.

He specified that the differences appear especially at the level of 2024 and were found following preliminary checks made by comparing the declarations submitted to ONJN with the fiscal declarations submitted to ANAF and the calculated taxes.

“I ordered the performance of background checks for the last five years (the period of fiscal prescription) on all operators where differences were identified, in order to accurately establish the amount of damages. If the differences are confirmed, actions will be taken to recover the amounts and the criminal investigation bodies will be notified“, emphasized the ONJN president.

Suspicions that they would have rewarded themselves through accounts held by interlopers

In the case of remote gambling operators, the official showed that, following the access to the mirror servers and the analysis of winnings greater than 15,000 euros, anomalies were identified.

“The pattern is obvious: numerous earnings, concentrated in the same day or month, in almost identical amounts and of very high values, which raises serious suspicions about how the GGR is reported and calculated“, declared Vlad-Cristian Soare.

According to him, all these aspects “generates the legitimate suspicion that certain operators reduce their tax base (GGR) by awarding prizes to accounts held through intermediaries“.

Also, a practice was identified that consists in reducing the bonuses granted from the GGR, “which is illegal“, this practice “equivalent, in reality, to a tax applied to the NGR and leading to the reduction of the tax base“.

If the suspicions are confirmed, the institution will notify the Office for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering (ONPCSB) and the criminal investigation bodies.

The President of ONJN also announced that, following the findings of the Court of Accounts regarding the application of the increased level of taxation provided by OG no. 15/2022, differences of approximately 100 million lei were established for remote gambling operators.

“Under my leadership, the checks were carried out, and the differences – in the amount of 100 million lei – were determined and sent to ANAF“, stated Vlad-Cristian Soare.

At the same time, the institution also started an analysis in the case of land-based gambling organizers, in the context of the tax increase by GEO no. 82/2023, with the possibility of identifying additional payment differences related to the October 2023 – 2024 period.

Regarding the monitoring of the market, Vlad-Cristian Soare specified that, at the time of assuming the mandate, the institution had no real access to the mirror servers of the online operators.

“From the beginning of 2026, ONJN will have full access to all servers and all 12 reportsAt the same time, the institution started the procedures for the implementation of a monitoring system with artificial intelligence modules.

Regarding the public debate regarding the prohibition of gambling, the president of ONJN stated that “this is a false solution”.

“You cannot ban human behavior. The ban moves the phenomenon to the black market, where the state no longer has any control”claimed Vlad-Cristian Soare. In his opinion, the solution lies in the adoption of a new law that will strengthen the control mechanisms and eliminate the competitive advantage of the operators in the gray or black zone.