Licence applications are currently being accepted. There is no limit on the number of licences available. A casino operator must hold a licence to organise gambling and an authorisation to operate casino-style games (Article 1(2), Gambling Act), with a separate authorisation required for each casino premises (Article 12(3)(c), Gambling Act). 

An additional annual local authorisation issued by the local public authorities is also required for the gambling establishment (Article 18^1, Gambling Act). Local councils decide whether or not gambling activities may be carried out on the territory of the administrative-territorial unit it represents (Article 18^1, Gambling Act).

Licences are issued for a period of ten years (Article 12(1), Gambling Act), whereas authorisations are issued for a period of one year (Articles 12(3) and 18^1, Gambling Act).

Casinos require a financial guarantee of €3m (Article 29(8)(b), Gambling Act). The minimum required value of the subscribed and paid-up share capital is RON1m (€200,910) (Annex (2)(E), Gambling Act).

Gambling operator licences can only be granted to locally established entities or entities within the EU, EEA or Swiss Confederation that have registered a permanent establishment for tax purposes in Romania (Article 1(2), Gambling Act). 

A licence will not be issued if the economic operator was convicted by a final judgment of a conviction for which rehabilitation did not take place (Article 15(1)(A)(b)(i), Gambling Act); if an administrative measure had been taken against the legal entity, such as cancellation, revocation or suspension of its licence or entire activity for one year prior to the licence application (Article 15(1)(A)(b)(iv), Gambling Act); or if legal representatives have been convicted in Romania or elsewhere, for a crime stipulated in the Gambling Act or another intentional crime sanctioned with minimum two years of imprisonment, and rehabilitation did not intervene (Article 15(1)(A)(c), Gambling Act). 

Pursuant to Article 15(4)(d) of the Gambling Act, a licence or authorisation will not be issued if the operator had been sanctioned with revocation of its licence or sanctioned for offering illegal gambling.

If a licence or authorisation was annulled for false information presented upon the application for the licence, a new application can only be submitted after five years (Article 17(1), Gambling Act).

Casinos can only be located in non-residential buildings or hotels of at least three stars (Article 15(2)(d), Gambling Act).

Pursuant to Article 15(6)(b) of the Gambling Act, casinos must organise a minimum of:

•  12 special gambling tables in Bucharest, of which at least two are roulette tables.
• Ten special gambling tables outside of Bucharest, of which at least two are roulette tables.

Casinos cannot be located within the premises of educational, cultural, artistic, health, social or religious institutions (Article 35(a), Gambling Regulation).

Detailed licensing requirements can be found in Article 15 of the Gambling Act.

Casino-type games can also be organised temporarily, in a tourist resort or on a recreational vessel, for a maximum of three months (Article 6(2) and Article 10(p)(i), Gambling Act).

Costs

The administrative fees for applying and obtaining a casino licence are as follows: 

• €600 for analysis of the file, paid when the documentation for obtaining the licence is filed (Annex (3)(D)(iii), Gambling Act).
• €10,500 for the issuance of the licence (Annex (3)(D)(ii), Gambling Act).
• €250 for analysis of the file, paid when the documentation for obtaining the authorisation is filed (Annex (3)(D)(iv), Gambling Act).

Licences are subject to an annual licensing fee of €150,000 (Annex (1)(I)(E), Gambling Act).

The annual tax due for the local authorisation issued by the local public authorities depends on the surface of the gambling establishment and is established by decision of the local council (Article 18^1, Gambling Act). 

In addition to the licence and authorisation fees, traditional casino gambling operators must contribute €4,000 per year for each table game to a fund for the prevention of the addiction to games of chance (Article 10(4)(iv), Gambling Act).

According to Annex (1)(II)(E) of the Gambling Act, casino games are taxed (authorisation fee) annually based on the number of table games and their location, under the scope of the authorisation’s annual fees in the following manner:

• €70,000 per table within Bucharest.
• €40,000 per table outside Bucharest.

The authorisation fee is paid monthly (Article 14(2)(b)(i), Gambling Act).

The authorisation fee for operating games of chance is calculated based on gambling income, which is the difference between the amounts collected from players as game participation fees and the prizes awarded, per calendar day/month. For games where the organiser collects commissions from participants/winners, the fee calculation considers the income as the proceeds obtained from these commissions or the share of the amount the organiser charges, according to game regulations, per calendar day/month (Article 1^1, Gambling Act).

Gaming machines in operation in casinos are subject to additional fees. Please see the Gaming Machines section of this report for more information.

According to Article 110(2), (2.2) and (4)(b) of the Tax Code, the tax rates for land-based casino gaming are: 

• Exempt from tax on winnings up to RON66,750 (€13,102).
• A tax of “RON11,750 (€2,316) + 40 percent for what exceeds the amount of RON66,750” shall be applied for the amount that exceeds RON66,750. The amount of RON11,750 will be deducted from the result obtained.

Social Casino Gaming: 

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, social casino gaming is not explicitly regulated in gambling legislation.

Esports Betting: 

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, esports betting is not explicitly regulated in gambling legislation.

However, betting on esports appears to be permitted. Various Romanian-licensed sports-betting operators offer betting on esports via their .ro betting websites.

Loot Boxes: 

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, loot boxes are not explicitly regulated in gambling legislation.

Sweepstakes: 

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, sweepstakes are not explicitly regulated in gambling legislation.

Fantasy Sports: 

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, fantasy sports are not regulated in gambling legislation.

Prediction markets:

Unregulated. To the best of Vixio’s knowledge, prediction markets are not explicitly regulated in gambling legislation.

However, on October 30, 2025, the Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN) announced its position on prediction markets while outlining that Polymarket has been blacklisted for offering illegal gambling activities in the country. The ONJN announced that the platform meets all the requirements of a betting exchange, despite being referred to as a “prediction market” or a “trading platform for events” and thus requires a licence issued by the ONJN.