Bulgaria’s cabinet advances gambling ad ban and €100,000 monthly fee
Regulation2 min read
Bulgaria’s cabinet approved draft gambling-law changes that would ban most advertising, restrict affiliate marketing and set a minimum monthly state fee of €100,000 for online operators. The proposal has been sent to Parliament for consideration.
Bulgaria’s cabinet has approved a draft gambling law that would extend advertising restrictions and increase costs for operators. The bill has been sent to Parliament for consideration and final approval.
The proposed advertising ban would cover television, radio, print, digital platforms and outdoor media, including billboards. It would apply to gambling products, operators and their brands. Limited exceptions would apply to sports sponsorship and partnerships with cultural, health and educational initiatives. Brand visibility would remain restricted in those cases, particularly on television and online.
The draft would end third-party affiliate marketing of gambling platforms. Bulgaria has already introduced gambling advertising restrictions, and the proposal would extend them to promotional methods that remain permitted.
Online gambling operators would pay a variable state fee with a minimum of €100,000 a month. Online betting operators would have to maintain a stable economic presence in Bulgaria. The stated purpose is to improve tax transparency and help authorities check company revenue and tax obligations.
Casinos and gaming halls would face a higher alternative tax in 2027 under the draft, followed from 2028 by state fees with fixed and variable components. Companies making, importing, distributing or supplying gambling equipment would be charged €50,000 for five-year licences and €100,000 for decade-long licences.
Banks, payment institutions and electronic money companies serving gambling operators would have to pay a contribution. The portion of their gambling payment service fees exceeding 1.5% of transaction value would go to the state budget.
Operators’ gambling systems would be linked electronically in real time to Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency. The links are intended to let the tax authority obtain transaction information, check tax compliance and identify possible irregularities.
The draft would increase contributions for gambling addiction prevention and treatment. The additional funds would be divided equally among the ministries responsible for sport, health and education. Planned initiatives include school programmes to inform students about gambling risks and prevent problem behaviour.
The government presented the proposed revision on 23 September 2026, and public consultation ran until 23 October. The finance ministry published a summary of the comments received on 5 November. The proposal was notified to the European Commission through the TRIS system. The proposal, presented on the initiative of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, has been assigned to the Budget and Finance Committee and six other parliamentary committees.