The Romanian Gambling Regulatory Authority, ONJN (Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc), is currently at the center of a heated public and political debate. After it was revealed that hundreds of thousands of euros in tax revenue from the online gambling sector disappeared between 2019 and 2023, pressure on the authority is growing. Critics are openly speaking of a systemic failure that has not only burdened the national coffers but has also deeply shaken confidence in the integrity of the gambling regulator.
The scandal was triggered by a report by the Romanian Court of Auditors, which documented serious shortcomings in the ONJN's control system. Providers without a valid license were apparently able to operate on the market for years without facing any consequences. Payment obligations and controls over payout flows were also neglected. Estimates of lost tax revenue range up to 1 billion euros.
These revelations mobilized the opposition in the Romanian parliament: the USR (Uniunea Salvați România) not only requested a full investigation but also demanded criminal consequences for former ONJN officials.
Advertising on Google and Meta in sight
At the same time, the ONJN is under fire for its passive stance toward gambling advertising on platforms such as Google, Meta, and Facebook. Ads from unlicensed providers repeatedly appear on the Romanian web, often targeting vulnerable groups such as young people or those at risk of addiction. The authority has now publicly demanded that tech giants such as Meta and Google remove illegal gambling advertising. Whether there has been a response is not yet known.
The USR and other civil society groups are calling for a complete ban on all advertising for online gambling, regardless of licensing. They point to countries like Spain and Italy, where similar models have already been introduced.
New president, new hope?
In the midst of this crisis of confidence, Vlad-Cristian Soare was appointed the new president of the ONJN in April. The trained lawyer and administrative expert is tasked with professionalizing the agency, making it politically independent, and, above all, modernizing it technologically.
Soare has announced his intention to establish a "policy-driven, transparent model" of gambling supervision. He plans to renew internal IT systems, create interfaces with tax authorities and operators, and introduce a centralized, national self-exclusion system for at-risk players.
He emphasized that the current state of the authority is the result of political influence and a lack of resources. It is now all the more important to enforce a clear separation between regulation and economic interests.
But it's no longer just about personnel issues. A proposal is pending in the Senate that would completely dissolve the ONJN and transfer its responsibilities to the Romanian Ministry of Finance and the tax authority ANAF. The goal is to centralize control mechanisms, strengthen enforcement law, and minimize corruption risks. The introduction of a cap on player spending—10% of monthly income—is also currently being debated.
A mammoth task with an open outcome
The coming months are likely to be crucial. The ONJN faces a dual challenge: not only must it restore public trust, but it must also create the digital infrastructure to effectively regulate the online gambling market. President Soare has found the right words – but whether this will be followed by action remains to be seen. Political support is fragile, expectations are high, and the clock is ticking.
One thing is clear: if the reform fails, Romania could face a regulatory reboot, with profound consequences for providers, players and international platforms alike.
