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Romania’s gambling regulator, ONJN, has requested Meta and Google tighten their controls over illegal gambling adverts.

After conducting an investigation, the authority came across paid advertisements promoting illegal gambling across Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and Messenger platforms, as well as being prominently featured in Google’s search engine results.

In its official communiqué, the regulator further stated that the promoted operators were all on the ONJN blacklist and were directly targeting Romanian consumers.

Under Romania’s regulatory framework, those advertising illegal gambling – offshore operators and platforms like Facebook and Google alike – are subject to financial penalties between 50,000 and 100,000 lei (£8.5k to £17k).

“We remind you that operating ‘under the counter’ constitutes a crime and that, in the same situation of violating the criminal law, those who favor this phenomenon by providing payment services, content, promotion, and related IT services are also in the same situation of violating the criminal law,” the regulator added.

Some of the actions the ONJN wants implemented from the tech giants include urgent investigation of the promotions, suspension of the sponsored campaigns, as well as additional information on the accounts running the marketing materials.

Good PR urgently needed
The ONJN will gladly flex its regulatory muscles at any given opportunity, as its image and competence were badly tarnished at the start of this year when an independent audit found €900m in unaccounted taxes between 2019 and 2023.

Since then, political pressure has been piling up to reform the regulatory body, mainly through calls by the Save Romania Party (USR) that wants oversight duties transferred over to Romania’s National Revenue Office.

The fallout from the February audit resulted in Gheorghe-Gabriel Gheorghe, the ONJN’s fifth President since 2018, stepping down from the post.
His role was taken up by new ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare, who has scrambled to address the issues inherited from the previous leadership by implementing stricter licensing oversight and working towards modernising the country’s self-exclusion registry.

Customers are at the heart of every operator’s business. New measures are frequently being introduced to enhance their safety. One such example is financial risk checks, which are gradually becoming the norm.

However, while being well-intentioned, they are still viewed as intrusive by some. This could backfire by pushing players towards the black market.

Ahead of his visit to SBC Summit Lisbon, David Foster, Group Director of International Regulatory Affairs at Entain, discusses the unintentional fallout of financial risk checks and what can be done to avoid overregulation.

SBC News: Thanks for speaking with us, David. Firstly, we’re seeing financial risk checks and similar measures rolled out in some key jurisdictions – how far away are we from these becoming the norm across global regulated markets?
David Foster: It is fair to say that financial risk checks are becoming increasingly common in regulated markets, particularly in Europe. However, the types of checks being put in place, and the manner they are implemented, varies considerably, so we are quite a way from having common standards in this area. This is understandable, since every justification is different and needs to consider the local market realities when developing regulations.

However, where we do need to see greater consistency is around the need for the key principles of good policy making to be adhered to. Regulators should always be focused on making sure that rules are targeted, proportionate, effective, evidence-based and developed in collaboration with the industry.

How closely has Entain been watching the development and rollout of financial risk assessments in key markets like Britain and the Netherlands?

Very closely – Britain is obviously a very important market for Entain Group, as is the Netherlands.

In Britain, the major operators have just finished a trial with the Gambling Commission and Credit Reference Agencies to model financial risk assessments. These assessments are meant to be frictionless to the customer, as they won’t have to submit personal financial documents.

The Commission is evaluating the pilot and it’s essential that checks must be genuinely frictionless to prevent pushing players in the unregulated market. In the interim, we have adopted a more pragmatic approach with the Commission. The voluntary industry code, coordinated by the BGC, has also helped to level the playing field amongst operators and provide welcome clarity on customer checks. The Commission see the benefits of the voluntary code and we continue to work closely with the Commission on the Financial Risk Assessments.

The same can unfortunately not be said for the Netherlands. The checks imposed in October 2024 have not gone smoothly for operators, players or indeed the regulator. There is still a lack of clarity which means that there is a lack of horizontal consistency across operators in how the checks are managed, which is not sustainable. Worryingly the introduction of the checks has coincided with a major fall in channelling rates in the Netherlands. The KSA itself has acknowledged that the unregulated market now exceeds the regulated market in terms of overall GGR.

This creates a paradoxical situation whereby a policy – specifically designed to protect players – has actually had the opposite effect. I hope that the industry and the KSA can come together to find a workable solution which genuinely protects players while not being so intrusive that it drives them into the arms of unregulated black-market operators.

As Entain is active in both of these markets, what have you learned about the potential impact of financial risk checks?
Our key takeaway from our experiences across these markets, as well as the likes of Germany, is that if checks are not approached thoughtfully and with proper consideration of impacts, they can have unintended and detrimental implications for the market. Players vote with their feet, and if the checks are too intrusive, complex or burdensome, they will seek alternatives elsewhere. The problem is compounded when you consider the fact that the players most likely to seek out unregulated offers are often those that are potentially at most risk of encountering gambling harms.

There were a lot of concerns that affordability checks could drive players to the black market. Now that financial risk checks are being rolled out, are these fears being realised or are they being soothed?

Unfortunately, the evidence is hard to dispute. In the Netherlands and Germany, where financial limits have been imposed, we see the black market thriving. Whilst other factors such as tax and product restrictions also play a role in dictating consumer demand, spending limits are without doubt a key driver of this shift.

In the Netherlands, the KSA has stated that despite more than 90% of players using regulated offerings, this equates to only 49% of GGR. This drop has directly coincided with the introduction of financial limits. We also saw a similar pattern in Sweden during Covid when the Government introduced temporary spending caps there, so this is not an isolated example.

Why is the illegal market such a problem? Is the threat of it being overstated?

I feel like the issue of the black market has actually been underplayed in the past. Too often the threat of illegal and unregulated gambling was dismissed as something nebulous or abstract. However, thankfully there are signs that these attitudes are slowly changing as more and more stakeholders become aware of the serious threats that the black market poses.

This can be seen in some of the activity being undertaken across markets in Europe and the US, where regulatory bodies are asking tougher questions and scrutinising the activity of industry players more closely.

The threat of the black market cannot be overstated. It fuels organised crime and facilitates money-laundering and even the financing of terrorism. It provides fertile ground for match-fixers to corrupt sports away from the oversight of regulators, sports bodies or law enforcement. It robs Governments of tax money for operating public services, and it exposes vulnerable customers to harm due to the lack of player protection measures.

What can be done to tackle the black market?

Whilst there is no silver bullet solution, there are plenty of things which – done in conjunction – can and will dramatically reduce the size of the black market. Indeed, Entain commissioned a study with Regulus Partners last year that delved into this very question in considerable detail.

First and foremost, regulatory frameworks need to be attractive for operators and players alike. Regimes that have reasonable levels of tax, broad product offerings and proportionate restrictions encourage operators to acquire licences and allow them to offer players attractive and competitive experiences. Where this is not the case, black market operators prevail because they avoid tax and compliance requirements, whilst being able to aggressively advertise and offer huge bonuses.

From an enforcement perspective, I would like to see more jurisdictions exploring financial transaction blocking options. Such methods have been effective in markets like Norway and Hungary and encouragingly other markets are looking at similar options.

Aside from that, more rigorous enforcement against content suppliers, affiliates and payment providers – perhaps through licensing – will help to suffocate unregulated operators. Similarly, big tech companies – through app stores and search engines – also have a crucial role to play and I am encouraged to see them taking more responsibility in several markets when it comes to the content they carry. These are just a few of the options that can have a big impact in tackling black market operations.

You’ve seen a lot of markets and regulatory approaches in your career. In your view, how can the industry best walk the thin line between player protection and overregulation?

This is the age-old question!

For me, the starting point is for policy makers to genuinely want to strike that balance, rather than succumbing to external pressures as is often the case. Political expediency often obscures the principles of good policy making and leads to overregulation. This continues to be a challenge for our industry. The more we can earn back trust and strengthen our relationships with policy makers and regulators, the more likely we are to get a fair hearing.

Beyond that, I think it is important not to rush when developing regulations and to thoroughly consider the potential impacts and second order effects of regulatory changes. This involves having an evidence-led approach which is developed in consultation with the industry. It also means being pragmatic and not being afraid to review or change things if mistakes are identified.

You’ll be attending SBC Summit Lisbon later in September. What makes this a good educational opportunity for attendees, in your eyes?

For me, the wide array of panellists, experts and delegates means that there is something for everyone at the SBC Summit, no matter what your area of focus is. There are always plenty of learning opportunities and, in an industry that moves as quickly as ours, it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse and stay up to speed with the latest developments.

SBC Summit will take place from 16–18 September at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and MEO Arena, bringing together 30,000 industry stakeholders for an unmissable three-day experience.

Get your ticket to SBC Summit.

Midnite has been accused of breaching advertising rules after it created social media posts deemed appealing to under-18s.

As reported by ITV News, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was informed of a complaint from researchers at the University of Bristol about several of the gambling group’s social media posts, and an investigation has now begun.

The posts – which included the likes of top footballers Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire on X (formerly Twitter), as well as a recent post on Instagram with Harry Kane – are said to go against the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code which stops gambling companies from releasing marketing that “strongly appeals to children”.

Bristol on the look out
This is not the first time that Bristol University has slammed betting operators for this type of content. In 2023, during the Premier League’s opening weekend, the same group identified 10,999 gambling messages in breach of advertising rules – with 92% of “content marketing” not clearly marked as ads, and only a minority included harm warnings.

Meanwhile, in September 2024, a follow‑up study found almost three times as many (29,145) gambling messages were sent over a single weekend, prompting the research team to report over 100 non‑compliant social media ads to the ASA.

The main issue the group found with Midnite’s posts is that, based on the university’s own research, this type of content marketing is four times more appealing to children than it is to adults.

Midnite has therefore been accused of intentionally exploiting the viral appeal of social media content while failing to implement adequate protections for underage users in the UK.

One of the leading researchers at Bristol, Dr Raffaello Rossi, argued such forms of content marketing “obscure the promotional nature of the message” and blur the lines between entertainment and advertising for a high-risk product.

He continued: “These posts appear as entertaining content, making them harder to recognise as gambling promotions and more likely to be shared widely online, especially by children.”

The complaints are not the first time Midnite has had its social media posts shown to the ASA – with four previous occasions having raised an issue over the past 12 months.

On the latest investigation, the ASA explained: “We’re aware of the complainant’s concerns about ‘content marketing’ and we’ve been engaging with them and other stakeholders on the issue in recent months.

“This is a relatively new form of marketing that raises complex questions around jurisdiction and the boundaries between advertising and editorial content.

“We have investigations underway that will bring clarity to these boundary issues. In the meantime, we can confirm that this week, we received a complaint about social media posts by Midnite, and we are currently assessing it to establish what additional action to take.”

The investigation takes place as Midnite continues to bolster its rapid growth strategy in the UK. It recently sponsored Southampton FC, as well as free-to-air broadcaster 5’s UK coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup.

In April – the same month it completed a successful Series B funding round – Midnite also announced a sponsorship of the World Snooker Championship. It also launched its first TV ad campaign the month prior, which aired across Sky, Channel 4 and Channel 5, covering both linear TV and streaming platforms.

Keeping up with the threat
Since the UK Gambling Commission reported a sharp rise in problem gambling among minors, especially with the use of social media being at an all time high, news of this kind is getting a significant amount of media attention as governing bodies work harder than ever to eradicate the issue.

Recent data indicates that around 85,000 young people now show signs of problem gambling, which is double the amount reported in a similar study from 2023.

It was only in April that a similar complaint was made against a Fitzdares advert featuring Stuart Broad, who argued to be of “strong appeal” to people under the age of 18, although this was later overturned.

The White Paper, published last year, was a significant factor in minimising young people’s exposure to gambling. It imposed stake limits on online slots, and also laid out plans for sports betting deals which bans front‑of‑shirt gambling sponsors in the Premier League, FA, EFL & WSL from the 2026‑27 season.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has sent out a crucial warning to social media influencers as concerns over the promotion of illegal gambling companies intensify.

Content creators risk major fines if found to be encouraging any activity of this kind which, according to a recent study from the University of Sydney, is becoming increasingly popular throughout the influencer community with posts often including direct links to offshore gambling sites.

The latest enforcements are directed at content on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, amongst others, with penalties for individuals reaching up to AU$59,400 (£28,400). For those who ease accessibility to such illegal products, more severe fines up to AU$2.475m (£1.181m) may be handed out.

Formed in 2005, the ACMA continues to enforce the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which governs online betting sector in Australia.

Given how much young people and children use social media and that the age group is generally considered more vulnerable, the ACMA is particularly concerned about messaging related to black-market gambling.

In recent months, Polymarket, a US-based cryptocurrency prediction company, ran an illegal promotion in Australia by paying local influencers to advertise betting on the federal election.

Since Polymarket is not licenced in Australia, the ACMA launched an investigation into the campaign.

The authority made it clear in its latest statement that “If you are an influencer and you profit from promoting illegal games and wagering services to Australians – you are breaking the law”.

A stricter sector
The move comes during a nation-wide crackdown on advertising amongst youth. In November last year, Australia became the first country in the world to pass a law banning children from using social media altogether.

New regulations are now set to come into force at the end of 2025 to ban anyone age 16 or under from TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and X. However, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant is now calling for YouTube to be included in the list.

She argued the government should not name specific platforms as exclusions: “Our recommendation was that no specific platform be exempted because the relative risks and harms can change at any given moment.”

YouTube owner Google, is now arguing that the regulations should allow for young Australians to continue to access the platform because it is not a social media platform, but a video streaming platform with a library of free, high-quality content.

Norway’s gambling regulator, Lottstift, has confirmed a serious error that could potentially mean a significant underestimation of the black market.

Exact scope of damage unclear
Atle Hamar, Director of Lottstift, revealed that the regulator’s anonymous tipping system that allows players to report illegal gambling has been out of commission for over a year.

“The error has been there since March 2024, and was discovered this June,” Hamar said.

This might eventually lead to serious challenges when evaluating the impact of the black market on Norwegian customers.

“We depend on tips from the public, and people should have confidence that the tips they send will reach us. This is a serious error, and it took far too long before we discovered it.”

Whilst the public has other options to communicate with Lottstift when it comes to submitting reports, such as landlines, emails, and contact forms, online tips remain the core instrument when it comes to regulator-player collaboration for taking down illegal websites.

Hamar estimated that hundreds of tips have been wasted within the one-year timeframe when the system remained inactive.

“During the period, the public has tipped us via other channels such as email, contact form and telephone. However, those who have used the tip form have not received a notification that their tip did not arrive.

“We have managed to retrieve 120 tips from the last two months. The rest have been automatically deleted for privacy reasons.

“This means that several hundred tips may be missing for us, but we do not have exact numbers. We will thoroughly review this and make the necessary changes to prevent something similar from happening again.”

While the error has been corrected, this blunder will certainly cast doubt on the accuracy of the regulator’s next black market report.

Norway’s black market
A number of gambling monitoring bodies have continuously warned that the black market in Norway is rapidly gaining leverage over regulated gambling.

In its 2022 European report, the UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) concluded that a mixture of hard-hitting regulations like in-depth affordability checks, stake limits and advertising bans have all led to the black market accounting for 66% of all money staked in that year alone.

This translates to black market revenues going up by more than three times since 2010, the BGC’s report further added.

A widely circulated argument within international gambling circles is that the monopoly state-owned Norsk Tipping has over gambling services is helping the black market thrive.

Given that Norway will soon become the last monopoly regime in the Nordics after Finland transitions to an open market in the next few years, Norsk Tipping’s future has become a main topic for discussion in everyday political talks.

All aside, over the last few years both the regulator and the government have made noteworthy efforts to push the black market away while curbing problem gambling rates.

In 2024, Lottstift was granted increased powers to issue DNS and IP blocking orders of illegal gambling websites so it can better protect the Norwegian gambling market.

However, the recently discovered error will have rendered these powers largely obsolete, forcing Lottstift to play catch-up with the black market until it breaks even from a year of missed regulatory enforcement.

The land-based sector has been put under a review by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) over reports of player protection failures.

A BBC reporter self-excluded themselves as part of an undercover investigation into gambling venues. They were then allegedly allowed to play the slots across four out of the five Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs) they visited in Portsmouth, England.

If found to be true, this would constitute a significant breach of the UKGC’s player protection policies, where if a player self-excludes with an AGC, they would then have to have their rights revoked to enter other venues within a 1km radius, possibly even more if they choose to extend that distance.

As part of the UK’s licensing regime, AGCs can either join SmartExclusion or the self-exclusion scheme run by industry trade body Bacta. Licensing permits for brick-and-mortar casinos are handed out by local authorities, which then perform regular assessments of the venue’s responsible gambling compliance standards.

According to the reporter, two of the venues they visited were allegedly not signed to any of the self-exclusion schemes.

Tim Miller/UKGC
Responding to the BBC, Tim Miller, Director of the UKGC, said: “Most of all, we do need to see inspections of those properties. They’re not onerous, for just checking that [AGCs] are actually doing is what they’re meant to do, and they’re not doing stuff which is marginally illegal.”

An additional comment by a UKGC spokesperson for iGaming Expert read: “We take protecting consumers extremely seriously. The results of this BBC investigation are very concerning, and we will be taking urgent steps to investigate what has happened.”

Local authorities demand more powers
The land-based sector has found itself in the center of a heated debate over the last few months, as local council leaders voiced their concerns that casinos are predominantly present in low-income areas.

In April, a total of 38 councils wrote directly to Lisa Nandy, DCMS Secretary, calling for reforms in gambling regulations that would transfer more powers within the hands of local authorities – particularly when it comes to planning permits of land-based casinos.

Most recently, the London Borough of Brent partnered with think tank Social Market Foundation for an in-depth review of current regulations and a subsequent draft proposal that would highlight potential room for improvement when it comes to protecting vulnerable communities.

CopyBet has joined the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the standards body that represents around 90% of the regulated gambling industry in the UK.

Launched in 2016, CopyBet allows users to copy the bets made by others on the platform, which also includes tipsters rankings based on both their recent betting performance and profitability.

The firm, which operates under a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence and also holds a Class B bookmaker license in Cyprus, supports both pre-match and in-play betting markets.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome CopyBet as a member of our expanding and diverse membership at the BGC. We look forward to collaborating with CopyBet, and all our members, as we work together to raise standards across the industry.”

Integrity is key
The news comes not long after Coybet was welcomed by the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) as its newest member.

CopyBet now feeds integrity data from its online betting platform into IBIA’s global monitoring network, joining more than 80 companies operating over 140 sports betting brands with a total handle of $300bn per year.

The operator has been working to enhance its brand visibility over recent years, including through several sports sponsorships. This association with sports betting may have influenced the firm in deciding to take a more active role in integrity.

Currently, the brand is the official front-of-shirt sponsor of EFL’s Queens Park Rangers FC, as well as the partner of several Cyprian football teams such as AEK Larnaca, PΑC Omonia 29M, Enosis Neon Paralimni and Aris Limassol.

It also made its racing debut last year as sponsor of the November Racing Weekend at Ascot. Meanwhile, Irish jockey Jonathan Burke is also a CopyBet brand ambassador.

Anton Ivanov, Business Development Director of CopyBet UK, said of the firm joining the BGC: “CopyBet is pleased to announce its membership of the BGC. We look forward to working with other members to help raise industry standards further and create a culture of safer betting.”

Black market concerns loom
As the BGC continues to prioritise player safety, earlier this month, the group commissioned research which has sparked several fears that a tax increase on online gambling in the UK would make customers turn to unregulated betting sites.

Remote activities are currently hit at 21% of operator profit, while General Betting Duty is taxed at 15% of profit and Pool Betting Duty at 15% of net stake receipts. The rate of the potential new Betting & Gaming Duty (BGD) is not yet clear.

The BGC warned that this shift could not only fail to generate more tax revenue but also jeopardise player safety, as well as severely impact the financial health of sports, particularly horse racing.

Hurst said: “It’s clear it will not raise more tax, it simply risks forcing huge numbers of customers out of the regulated market, with its world leading standards on player safety, into the arms of the growing, illegal, unregulated and unsafe gambling black market online.”

“Any tax rises would make a mockery of the Government’s growth strategy and be catastrophic for horseracing, which is already facing a bleak financial outlook.”

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) are highly concerned about the amount of players are getting online following a season-wide report.

The duo are now calling on the betting industry to take action, with the study’s findings – taken from Signify Group’s Threat Matrix service – detailing that angry gamblers sent 40% of all detected abuse across the year. Meanwhile, 10 prolific accounts (majority being angry-gambler related) were responsible for 12% of abuse.

Action-orientated approach
Signify uses AI and human analysts and operates across all the major social media platforms in over 40 languages. All players competing in WTA Tour and ITF World Tennis Tour events are covered by the service.

Jonathan Hirshler, Signify CEO, said: “This unique dataset, covering all players across international tennis tours and Grand Slams, illustrates that a relatively small number of accounts are responsible for a significant proportion of prolific abuse and trolling.”

Between January – December last year,1.6 million posts and comments were analysed by the service, with analysts verifying around 8,000 posts/comments sent from 4,200 accounts as abusive, violent or threatening.

The group assured that action has been taken against the most serious and prolific of these, including 15 accounts escalated to law enforcement. A lot of the abuse players receive has been thrust into the spotlight following the French Open this weekend.

A BBC Sport report has highlighted the extent of abuse received by Katie Boulder, 39th ranked women’s singles player, who believes that a lot of online hate she received after losing a tie-break at the French Open came from people who had lost bets on her game.

Looking back over 2024, Signify’s data shows that 458 players faced direct threats or abusive messages. A significant portion (26%) was directed at just five players, while 97 high-activity accounts were behind 23% of the total abuse recorded.

Hirshler continued: “While this is deeply distressing for the athletes targeted, it means that we are able to be even more focused working with the platforms to ensure successful take down, support the tennis bodies to drive law enforcement intervention for the most egregious accounts and work with event security teams to ensure prolific abusers are unable to attend tournaments.”

Of the aforementioned 15 cases, three of these were submitted to the FBI and 12 to other national law enforcement bodies. Account details have also been shared with event security teams to ban individuals from access to venues/tickets.

Constructive dialogue is key
To stop this type of abuse occurring in the first place, tennis authorities argue that betting operators, social media platforms, governing bodies, players and law enforcers all have a responsibility to make the online space safer.

A spokesperson for the ITF emphasised: “We hope the gambling industry responds constructively to our call for more action on their part.”

The Threat Matrix service also looks at abusive direct messages, emails or letters and 56 reports of this type of communication were reported by 28 players – angry gamblers were 77% of these.

The service is currently upscaling to include social media moderation, which hides online hate in real time across the majority of platforms.

Jessica Pegula, Member of the WTA Players’ Council, concluded: “Online abuse is unacceptable, and something that no player should have to endure. I welcome the work that the WTA and ITF are doing with Threat Matrix to identify and take action against the abusers, whose behavior is so often linked to gambling.

“But it’s not enough on its own. It’s time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source and act to protect everyone facing these threats.”

Online abuse in tennis has been an ongoing issue for some time since the rise of social media over the past decade. In 2024, Sportradar, a firm which works closely with many betting operators, got involved in tennis’ athlete protection initiatives via a deal with Tennis Data Innovations (TDI) and the ATP Tour.

The firm launched Safe Sport, which is a service now utilised to address online abuse targeting professional athletes through the use of artificial intelligence moderation, education and investigation. It was made available to the top 250 ATP singles players and the top 50-ranked doubles players on a free and opt-in basis.

Concerns over the extent of online harassment some athletes face as a result of lost bets are nothing new. Over in the US, this month Signify also teamed up with the NCAA to study online abuse sparked by sports betting.

The pair used the 2025 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to identify and study targeted online abuse directed at student-athletes, coaches, officials and committee members. In looking at a total of 1 million posts and comments, 54,096 flagged for potential abuse by AI – 3,161 of which were then officially identified as abusive.

The Church of Romania is taking an active part in shaping the country’s national problem gambling strategy.

Olivia Nicoleta Vișan, Programme Coordinator at the Filantropia Federation of the Romanian Patriarchate, and Archimandrite Casian Filip, Vicar of the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar, both took part in a roundtable discussion that launched the “National Strategy for the Prevention and Treatment of Gambling Addiction”.

Led by the Romanian Committee for Culture, Communication, and Media (CCCM), the meeting was also attended by representatives from the National Agency for Drug and Addiction Policies (ANPCDA), as well as the regulator – the National Gambling Office (ONJN).

Besides speaking on behalf of the Church, Archimandrite Filip contributed to the conversation by leveraging his experience as a specialised advisor in the field of addictions and behavioural disorders.

The bottom line of the meeting was to devise a strategy on how to effectively coordinate between ministries, politicians, authorities, the clergy, experts, NGOs, and the gambling sector, when subsidising efforts to combat problem gambling rates in the country.

Cristian Niculescu-Țăgârlaș, Chair of the Senate’s CCCM, said: “I believe the cultural and educational dimension of the Strategy is essential. The Church, culture, media, and education can become powerful tools for prevention and support for young people and vulnerable groups.”

Speaking to the various stakeholders present at the event, President of the ONJN, Vlad Cristian Soare, reminded that the regulator collects around €11m in tax per year from the gambling sector, and reinstated its commitment – now strengthened by the new strategy – to direct these funds into prevention, self-exclusion, and gambling harm research initiatives.

“For me, these are a priority. I want an active, transparent and responsible ONJN, and for this we need everyone: public authorities, specialists, organisers and civil society. Only together can we transform social responsibility into a reality and provide support to those who have real need,” Soare added.

Archimandrite Filip fully welcomed both the CCCM’s and the ONJN’s extended hands, adding that the Church plays a vital role in community wellbeing, guiding individuals and their families through hardships.

Wider reforms on the way
Gambling in Romania is currently at a crossroads, with the Save Romania Party (USR) pushing for a total restructuring of regulations, one of which being an updated self-exclusion framework.

Matters reached a boiling point earlier this year when an independent audit of the ONJN found that the regulator failed to collect around €900m in taxes between 2019 and 2023.

Their audit further unveiled that the self-exclusion system that is meant to be managed centrally by the ONJN was not properly implemented across licensed gambling operators, leading to serious concerns about the actual rate of problem gamblers in the country.

The subsequent fallout saw a change in ONJN leadership, with former President Gheorghe-Gabriel Gheorghe stepping down and Soare taking over his duties.

USR is now pushing for an abolishment of the ONJN as a result, and a transfer of supervision duties to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF).

On top of that there are also calls to increase the turnover tax for gambling operators to 20%, which are currently being reviewed by Parliament.