FEDBET warns about the effects of the licensing deadlock and calls on the Government to adopt transitional rules to protect the legal market

The Federation of Gambling Organizers of Romania (FEDBET) warns that the authorization standstill generated by GEO No. 7/2026 does not reduce demand for gambling, but shifts it toward illegal operators, outside state control. The Federation calls on the Government and Parliament to urgently adopt transitional rules allowing operators that meet the legal requirements to operate until the local decisions are issued.

According to FEDBET, 72% of the total online black market in the European Union is accounted for by illegal operators, while Member States’ losses reached approximately 22 billion euros in 2025. The Federation maintains that, in the case of illegal operators, players’ age and identity are not verified, and there are no deposit limits or protection mechanisms for vulnerable individuals.

The standstill has reportedly affected approximately 8,500 jobs so far. The Ministry of Finance estimates a decrease of 750 million lei in revenues from gambling-specific taxes, but FEDBET assesses that total losses could reach 320 million euros, by including the taxes and contributions related to the eliminated jobs.

The Federation states that fewer than 4% of administrative-territorial units have adopted the decisions provided for by the ordinance. In their absence, the number of authorized slot machines could fall from 43,306 in March to 9,096 on January 1, 2027. The authorities have not yet announced the requested measures.