SBC News

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.

Tabcorp has been hit by a AU$4m (€2.3m) penalty for breaching Australian spam laws while also facing political scrutiny for a recent plan to shake up how it works with the country’s pub industry.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued the penalty after Tabcorp sent 5,700 marketing messages to its VIP programme customers, something which the regulator states broke Australian spam laws.

Australia’s Spam Act 2023 requires businesses to have customer consent before sending out any marketing messages. The ACMA states that enforcing this requirement is one of its key priorities, having issued AU$16.9m (€9.6m) worth of penalties for breaches of the Act over the past 18 months.

The ACMA’s investigation found that 2,598 SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to VIP customers between 1 February-1 May 2024 did not have an option to unsubscribe, 3,148 other messages did not contain ‘adequate sender information’, and 11 SMS messages sent between 15 February-29 April 2024 were also sent without consent.

“This is the first time the ACMA has investigated and found spam breaches in a gambling VIP programme,” said Authority Member Samantha Yorke.

“These programmes often involve personalised messages offering incentives such as bonus bets, deposit matching, rebates and offers of tickets to sporting and other events.

“The gambling industry needs to understand that spam laws apply to all direct marketing — whether it’s generic campaigns or personalised messages.”

Pub plans get political
Tabcorp is also facing pressure from the political scene, although the most vocal political voice around its newly unveiled plans to change how it works with the Australian pub industry is a key gambling law reform proponent – so his comments are not anything new.

Quoted in an article in The Guardian, which he shared on X, independent Australian Senator and former member of the Australian national rugby union team, Dave Pocock, argued that gaming firms have been ‘emboldened’ by government inaction.

He was referring to Tabcorp’s plans to replace payments made to Australian pubs and hotels which include its gaming machines in their venues with a promotions scheme designed to attract more customers to said venues.

“The Albanese Govt’s failure to act almost 2 yrs after the Murphy review’s 31 reccs were released means companies like Tabcorp are emboldened & exploiting regulatory loopholes on things that cause huge harm like gambling inducements,” Pocock wrote on X, adding that these inducements are ‘hurting’ Australians.

The Albanese Govt’s failure to act almost 2 yrs after the Murphy review’s 31 reccs were released means companies like Tabcorp are emboldened & exploiting regulatory loopholes on things that cause huge harm like gambling inducements, hurting more 🇦🇺shttps://t.co/tsYZPuNbvJ

— David Pocock (@DavidPocock) June 15, 2025

The Murphy review cited by Pocock was, as its name suggests, a review of Austrian gambling regulations and legislation conducted by the late Peta Murphy MP, also a proponent of gaming law reform. This review made 31 recommendations, including a ban on inducements.

However, the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese temporarily shelved the review’s recommendations ahead of the May general election. Some commentators believed this was due to the government not wanting to risk a potential public showdown with the industry prior to voters going to the polls.

With the Albanese government now firmly back in the driving seat, having won the election with 34.5% of the vote, reform proponents now want to see real change at the federal level around how Australia regulates betting marketing, promotions and player protection.

Pocock summarised a viewpoint held by many politicians: “Research shows inducements have contributed enormously to children and young people believing that gambling is a risk-free and normal part of enjoying sport, which is the exact association we should be working to break.”

Nicola Jaques, Dominic Harrison and Matt Gaskell, three of Britain’s leading figureheads in gambling harms prevention have been awarded MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Each recipient has played a distinct role in pushing forward new thinking and structural change in how British authorities view and tackle problem gambling harms. The trios work spans clinical delivery, lived experience advocacy and governance core pillars in the wider effort to reduce gambling harm across British communities.

Jaques: lived experience to understand biggest harms
Nicola Jaques, Chair of the GambleAware Lived Experience Council, was recognised for her work amplifying the voices of those directly affected by gambling addiction. As chair, she has helped establish lived experience as a cornerstone of national policy development and programme design.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the MBE on behalf of GambleAware’s Lived Experience Council,” she said. “This award is a powerful acknowledgement of the wider gambling harms sector’s role in driving meaningful change.”

Jaques underlined the importance of education, systemic reform and collaboration with those impacted.

She also singled out the Beacon Counselling Trust and the National Gambling Support Network for adopting whole-family and community-based models of care. “Supporting education programmes and encouraging system change will always be at the heart of my commitment to this cause,” she added.

Harrison: Pioneer of GamCare comprehensive support
Dominic Harrison, a trustee of GamCare and Chair of its Audit Committee, was also recognised for his long-standing contribution to the sector. With senior roles in Ladbrokes and Gala Coral on his CV, Harrison brought commercial acumen and oversight to one of the UK’s most critical support providers.

“Dominic has brought compassion and common sense to the charity’s vital work,” said GamCare Chair Margot Daly. “This recognition is also a tribute to the frontline teams who deliver support services every day.”

Harrison’s tenure has coincided with a sharp increase in GamCare’s capacity, now reaching tens of thousands of individuals annually through its national helpline, treatment network and digital tools.

Gaskell: The Architect of NHS gambling clinics
Matt Gaskell, Consultant Psychologist and founder of the NHS Northern Gambling Service, was awarded for pioneering the NHS’s direct intervention model. Since 2019, he has expanded the service to six hubs across the North of England, integrating clinical care into the public health system.

“This award recognises that gambling harm is a public health crisis of our time,” Gaskell said. “I dedicate this to all those affected by preventable gambling-related harm.”

Gaskell, who also advises government and helped author national clinical guidelines, has been vocal in calling out the commercial practices of the gambling sector, arguing for regulation that puts population health above profit.

Dr Sara Munro, Chief Executive of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, praised Gaskell’s contribution. “Matt’s work has saved lives. He has been instrumental in building the NHS Northern Gambling Service into a model of care and a driver of policy reform.”

Gambling Harms enters new strategy
The honours come as the UK’s gambling harm framework enters a transition period. Since April, a new national strategy has been rolled out under the joint direction of the NHS and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), aimed at scaling public health-led interventions.

However, the long-term role of third-party services—including charities and community-led groups—remains unresolved. The NHS and OHID have yet to publish a formal proposal detailing how non-NHS providers will be governed or funded under the new system.

As policy shifts continue, the work of Jaques, Harrison and Gaskell underscores the critical role of joined-up leadership combining clinical rigour, governance and lived experience to tackle one of the UK’s most pressing behavioural health challenges.

The Ministry of Finance of Colombia has announced that it will publish a new “Tax Budget Proposal” by the end of July, to apply or amend fiscal measures across core industries including gambling.

The proposal has been announced as a new “medium-term fiscal framework”, to support the coalition government to stabilize inflation and maintain funding for key social programmes.

Finance Minister Germán Ávila outlined the reform as critical to closing fiscal gaps in Colombia’s public spending and boosting state revenue amid a year of difficult macroeconomic conditions. The tax proposal aims to raise between $19.6bn and $25.4bn, equivalent to approximately €18.3bn to €23.7bn, depending on parliamentary support and economic performance.

Divisions on VAT status
The reform package will include a sweeping review of Colombia’s tax policy, with particular emphasis on the Value Added Tax (VAT) structure, as well as duties related to carbon emissions, online gambling, and consumption of fuel. The proposal is part of President Gustavo Petro’s wider economic strategy to reduce the deficit while financing regional stability and welfare initiatives.

The Finance Ministry has reaffirmed its position on the 19% VAT levy applied to online gambling deposits, introduced earlier this year under Decree 175 of 2025. Initially framed as an emergency economic measure, the gambling VAT was enacted to support humanitarian relief and public security operations in Catatumbo, a region destabilised by renewed guerrilla conflict.

The tax was applied as a “temporary measure” due to expire on 31 December 2025, applied abruptly across all customer deposits made to licensed online gambling and sports betting platforms. The tax was implemented alongside a 1% levy on coal and gas sales, and a 1% stamp duty on large securities transactions, forming a three-pronged effort to reinforce Petro’s COL$523trn (circa €120bn) social-focused budget.

Despite the tax’s temporary status, the General Attorney of Colombia has called for the 19% VAT on gambling to be maintained. In a public address, Attorney General Gregorio Eljach defended the legality of the measure, stating that the decree is “proportional to the emergency” and consistent with constitutional principles. Eljach further urged the Constitutional Court to uphold the tax, arguing that it represents a vital revenue stream in regions under threat from armed groups.

“The measures adopted in Decree 175 do not discriminate and are proportional to the emergency,” Eljach said. “They are vital to safeguarding fundamental rights and supporting public order efforts.”

Colombia Gambling losing consumers
Nevertheless, the policy has met growing resistance from the industry. According to Fecoljuegos, the national trade body for licensed gambling operators, the introduction of the deposit VAT resulted in a 30% drop in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in the first month following its implementation. Stakeholders have voiced concern that the tax has driven players toward offshore and unlicensed platforms that evade the levy altogether.

Evert Montero Cárdenas, President of Fecoljuegos, warned that the continued application of the deposit-based VAT risks damaging one of Latin America’s most successful regulated gambling markets. “Players are actively avoiding the tax by shifting to unlicensed platforms. Operators have tried to absorb costs and offer bonuses, but the downturn is stark,” he said.

Fecoljuegos has stated that its members are willing to present alternative measures to support the government, which would not require predatory tax charges on customer deposits.

Colombian incumbents have expressed significant concern about the structure of the tax itself. Stockholm-listed betting technology firm Kambi, which holds a significant presence in Colombia, noted that taxing deposits — rather than net revenue — has created “significant headwinds” and has had an immediate impact on operating volume.

Tax on Polluting Industries
From a broader fiscal standpoint, the Ministry of Finance is expected to prioritise energy and fuel consumption taxes in the upcoming proposal. Deputy Minister Carlos Emilio Betancourt has indicated that duties on polluting activities, such as pesticide use, vaping products, and industrial emissions, are under review.

These environmental taxes are viewed as both revenue-generating tools and incentives for behavioural change in line with Colombia’s long-term sustainability goals.

Betancourt also reaffirmed that up to COL$135trn in annual tax expenditure is under scrutiny, with VAT exemptions accounting for approximately 65% of that amount.

As such, the Ministry is considering restructuring the VAT system to broaden the tax base without disproportionately affecting low-income households. Potential adjustments include revising the 5% reduced VAT rate on essential goods and reassessing exemptions on education and health-related services.

Petro has final say
While the government insists that its proposals will not erode fundamental rights or market stability, the VAT on gambling deposits has emerged as a symbol of the broader political tensions within the coalition. Critics within President Petro’s own governing bloc have questioned the long-term viability of the tax, warning that it could undermine digital entrepreneurship and drive formal operators into financial distress.

Ultimately, the future of the gambling VAT is likely to be settled by President Petro himself, as he attempts to govern an increasingly divided coalition. Internal disputes over fiscal priorities, cabinet appointments, and the balance between social spending and economic competitiveness have raised questions about the administration’s ability to maintain a coherent legislative strategy through 2025.

The Ministry of Finance maintains that the full text of the Tax Budget Proposal will be published before the end of July, with congressional debate expected to begin in the second half of the year. For Colombia’s regulated industries, including gambling, the next few months will prove pivotal in determining the long-term tax environment under Petro’s presidency.

Some countries are on their way to be taken off the EU AML risk list, including Gibraltar and the UAE – two hotspots for the gambling sector.

The amendments were introduced by a Commission Delegated Regulation, and are expected to enter the Official Journal of the EU if the European Parliament or the Council of the EU do not object to them.

Individual jurisdiction assessments correspond to the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) proprietary analysis, which has delisted the same countries from its own high-risk money laundering list.

Gibraltar
The UK Overseas Territory is one of the eight countries that have satisfied the EU and the FATF risk assessments.

This includes evidenced improvement of strategic AML/CFT deficiencies, supported by meaningful changes to regulatory and legal frameworks.

As a result, Gibraltar is no longer required to apply enhanced due diligence measures within international business relations due to gaining a reduced risk profile, significantly lessening administrative red tape for companies wanting to do business there – including those from the gambling sector.

However, some experts have followed Gibraltar’s delisting with scepticism. For one, Malta Media highlighted that the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unity (GFIU) has reported 1,498 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) in the first three months of 2025.

The media additionally noted that 50% of these SARs “originated from online gambling operators”, while more than 677 were tagged as potential money laundering cases.

In that sense, Malta Media questioned whether Gibraltar’s practical enforcement outweighed the actions put down on paper, with formal compliance “often assessed through regulatory frameworks, rather than practical outcomes.”

UAE
The AML risk delisting will also be great news for the United Arab Emirates, with the country currently in the process of expanding its gambling market – in a strategy that aims to diversify its economy and potentially multiply the profits from what is already a booming tourism sector.

Efforts towards this path were first made official with the establishment of the UAE’s very own General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) back in 2023.

The first commercial gaming licence was handed to international gambling and hospitality conglomerate Wynn Resorts. Given the EU’s latest assessment of the country, more investor interest is guaranteed to follow soon.

Policymakers in Bulgaria have drafted a proposal to tighten control of consumer online gambling spend and behaviour.

The proposal was put forward by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Healthcare, with the texts calling for mandatory game session limits, a cap on wager amounts, as well as a ceiling on accumulated losses within a 24-hour period.

Age-based session limits
Both Ministries are calling for a maximum of four hours for game sessions per customer. This would fall within the responsibility of the iGaming operators to impose.

For customers under 24 years of age, this limit would be set at two hours per game session.

Each player would be able to ask for either an extension or a reduction in the time limit within that four-hour bracket. Requests for extensions are to be granted at the discretion of each operator, not earlier than 24 hours after the request has been made.

Customer requests for a reduction in the time limit are to be granted immediately by operators.

The clock on each game session starts counting the second a customer logs into their account. When a time limit is reached, operators will be required to inform the customer and log them out of their account.

Exceeding the limit will be possible in certain scenarios, such as participation in tournaments, but operators will again immediately log players out as soon as the tournament is over.

There will be a 15-minute cooling off period before players can log in again after they’ve reached their session limit, with the operator subsequently providing safer gambling messages and information about the national self-exclusion registry.

Loss limits
Further RG measures include a mandatory loss limit within a 24-hour period set by players.

All players will be asked by operators to agree to be signed into the national self-exclusion registry for a period of seven days if the 24-hour loss limit is reached. Players will not be allowed to gamble if they refuse to opt in.

The maximum amount of losses allowed within a 24-hour period will correlate to 10 average monthly salaries within the private sector, based on figures from the National Statistics Office from the year prior.

For everyone under 24 years of age, this amount will be set to a maximum of five average monthly salaries. Operators will be required to clearly communicate these figures with players by displaying them on their online platforms.

Again, loss limits can be increased or decreased within the given spectrum – with requests for an increase granted by operators no less than 24 hours, while requests for a decrease granted immediately.

Notifications will be automatically sent out when a customer reaches 50%, 75%, and 100% of their set limit.

When 100% is reached, operators will be required to automatically put the customer on the self-exclusion registry for a period of seven days.

Wager size capped
All operators will be required to introduce a maximum wagering limit across their iGaming portfolios, to be set by the player.

For players over 24, the total wagering limit across all games on a specific platform for a period of 24 hours must not exceed 20 average monthly salaries. For under-24s, this limit is 10 salaries.

Wager caps for individual games will depend on the hours of the day they are played in, with the set periods being between 6am and 8pm, and 8pm and 6am.

Deadline for consultations
The above proposals will be open for stakeholder consultations until 5 July. If accepted, the draft will become the latest step in Bulgaria’s active efforts to build a more sustainable gambling sector.