Romania Targets Gambling Reform as ONJN Faces 2026 Test

Romania’s gambling regulator is positioning 2026 as the year it restores control over the sector, but public confidence in that promise remains uncertain.

Following years of controversy and mounting political scrutiny, the National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has set out a new agenda for the year ahead. The authority itself faces intense parliamentary debate, with potential changes that could significantly alter or even dissolve the regulator.

Vlad-Cristian Soare, who became ONJN president in May 2025 after Gabriel Gheorghe resigned, inherited a troubled agency. Audits revealed major regulatory gaps, with nearly €1bn in gambling taxes and licence fees going uncollected, sparking criticism that oversight had all but collapsed.

Soare’s first year in office has largely been reactive, managing crises rather than pursuing long-term policy. Nonetheless, ONJN highlights enforcement successes, including hundreds of illegal gaming machines seized, access blocked to over 200 unlicensed websites and numerous cases referred for criminal investigation. Online enforcement has been a particular focus, with the regulator claiming it removed nearly all illicit content targeting Romanian players, though critics question the sustainability of this effort.

A central feature of the regulator’s reform is the shift to technology-driven oversight. Plans include a geolocation-based QR system linked to a central register to track machine ownership and authorization, as well as a nationwide self-exclusion system covering both land-based and online gambling. Automated monitoring of transactions and bonuses, alongside a fully digital licensing platform, aims to reduce discretionary enforcement and improve transparency.

Political pressure continues to shape ONJN’s environment. Over 20 legislative proposals have been tabled, ranging from stricter age limits to tighter advertising and sponsorship restrictions. Some voices even call for the regulator’s complete disbandment. Soare advocates for a full rewrite of Romania’s gambling law, arguing that enforcement cannot succeed under an outdated, fragmented legal framework.

Player protection will also receive renewed attention in 2026, with €5m earmarked for harm-reduction programs implemented by local authorities and civil society. While supporters view this as a vital step, critics see it as a reactive measure to prove relevance amid looming reforms.

As 2026 approaches, ONJN faces a critical test: it must demonstrate that it can function effectively as a regulator or risk becoming another institution undermined by the very failures it was meant to prevent.