Romania’s government has overhauled gambling regulations through an emergency decree allowing municipalities to restrict or ban betting shops and slot machine parlours, in the biggest tightening of the industry the country has ever seen.
Licensed operators must now obtain not only a national permit but also a local authorization to open a gambling venue, giving mayors and city councils decisive veto power. Officials say more than 200 localities could impose total bans.
There has been a rapid expansion of the gambling industry in Romania, with tens of thousands of slot machines and betting outlets open across the country, especially in the capital Bucharest.
Until now, gambling dens were licensed centrally without city approval, leaving communities powerless even as venues mushroomed near schools and residential areas.
“From now on, local authorities can clearly say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” said Diana Stoica, a lawmaker from the Save Romania Union party, which led the legislative campaign. “If they say yes, they can decide exactly where these places can operate and under what conditions.”
At least nine cities have already expressed plans to impose outright bans. Among them is Slatina, in southern Romania, where the mayor, Mario De Mezzo, has promised to get rid of all gambling halls as existing licenses expire.
“The simplest solution was to completely eliminate these businesses from the city. They are toxic to society,” De Mezzo said.
The Romanian gaming sector is a multibillion-dollar market that will generate close to €1 billion in state taxes in 2025, despite official audits identifying several million euros in uncollected revenue.
For years, tax benefit has been one of the main justifications for not imposing restrictions despite public pressure, but proponents of regulation argue that the economic benefits come at a large social cost.
“This is a public health problem,” Stoica told The Guardian. “Gambling addiction has the highest suicide rate of all addictions and the Romanian state has allowed this industry to explode over the last 20 years.”
He noted that the previous framework treated gambling more leniently than other businesses: “If you wanted to open a flower shop, you needed a permit from the city council. For gambling venues, no.”
Years of complaints from residents and civil society fueled the political momentum. “People write to us all the time; entire families are affected by addiction. We turn those messages into legislation,” Stoica said.
At a recent press conference in Bucharest, the parliamentarian pointed to an apartment building behind her that housed six betting houses on the ground floor, located near several schools.
“We’re not in Las Vegas,” Stoica said. “This agglomeration of destructive machines occurs in the middle of residential neighborhoods.”
Ciprian Cucu, mayor of Bucharest, said he needed to consult the local council before deciding on a ban. He suggested that gaming venues could be limited to certain areas, such as the old town, although he said this was just an idea.
The Romanian parliament is also debating additional restrictions on gambling. The proposed measures include banning those under 21 from entering gambling halls, limiting online gambling advertisements between 6 a.m. and midnight, limiting losses to 10% of declared income, and restricting ads aimed at children. Last year, Romania’s media regulator banned celebrities and influencers from appearing in gambling ads.
De Mezzo said the decision to implement a citywide ban was formed by witnessing the consequences of addiction in his community.
“We’ve seen the devastating effects these businesses have on people’s lives,” he said. “Families are separated and children go to bed hungry because parents lose their wages playing slot machines.”
In one case, he said, a 27-year-old man from Slatina committed suicide after losing large sums of money gambling. “That was the moment I decided these arcades had to go,” De Mezzo said.
The mayor also rejected the argument that cities would lose valuable revenue if they closed gambling venues. He added: “If saving even one life means postponing the paving of three streets until next year, it’s worth it.”
