Gambling license in Romania
Gambling license in Romania
The attitude to the gambling business in Romania was formed over three decades. During this time, the state issued and edited several significant bills, each of which introduced new procedures for regulating gambling activities. At the moment, there are two bodies in the country that control the casino.
The Ministry of Finance tracks all revenues within physical and virtual gaming structures. The Gambling Commission, established under the Ministry, is directly involved in issuing certificates, and also serves to unite the interests of the state and entrepreneurs.
The following types of gambling are allowed in Romania: ground betting, slot machines, sweepstakes, poker, roulette, bingo, blackjack, and online gambling (Internet rooms), which can host all of the above types of games online.
Each subgroup requires separate licensing. You can officially register a casino with the help of the Law&Trust company. The types of certificates that can be issued with our assistance are indicated below.
License to open a casino in Romania
In Romania, there are three classes of licenses, as well as a series of permissions within some classes for different types of gambling.
Types
Types
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A Class 1 license and corresponding permissions are permits that must be obtained by a B2C operator in order to offer gambling services in the Romanian market (regardless of whether this applies to land or online gambling);
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A Class 2 License is required for B2B providers specializing in the gambling industry who supply products/services to B2C operators licensed in Romania. The categories of B2B providers that need to obtain a Class 2 license are:
- manufacturers, distributors, and other organizations operating with the use of gaming facilities or gaming components (note: this type of license of class 2 applies to the on-land sector);
- software providers;
- platform and hosting management service providers;
- online streaming casino providers;
- certification laboratories, auditors and bodies for assessing the compliance of games with the necessary standards;
- payment systems;
- marketing affiliates.
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A Class 3 license is granted to the National Romanian Lottery, which has a legal monopoly on the organization of all types of lotteries.
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The opening of a land-based casino is associated with special requirements: the regulation requires at least 10 tables, 4 of which should be reserved for roulette. Regardless of the location of the room, it should have a separate entrance. The venue must comply with all operating standards, including the availability of a restroom for employees, a toilet, all utilities, and so on.
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In order to obtain a license for a casino in Romania, it is necessary to pass a physical office check for compliance with fire and sanitary standards.
License for slot machines in Romania
License for slot machines in Romania
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According to state policy, each slot inside a gambling venue must have its own certificate. In the technical documentation for the machine, it is necessary to indicate the frequency of its inspection for damage. If the slot is installed in a virtual casino, it periodically undergoes an audit procedure and an update of the RNG certificate. Obtaining a license for a slot machine in Romania is not difficult, it has legal force for 3 years, the renewal is automatic with a requirement to pay a fee.
The owner of the slots must be at least 23 years old, he can’t be in the service of the state. Issuing a certificate for slots to a person with a criminal record is not allowed. It is forbidden to install machines near objects of culture, medicine, monuments, and so on. Slots can be placed in cafes and shops only with a separate entrance to the game room.
Bingo license in Romania
Bingo license in Romania
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There are regulations for this type of gambling. Romania doesn’t allow bingo in the parks and recreation areas, the physical office should be at least 30 meters from residential buildings and shops.
Obtaining a bingo license in Romania makes it possible to use the foreign currency at bets but only if there is an additional permit from a local bank. Each violation of the law is subject to an administrative fine in the amount of 500 thousand to 10 million lei.
Online gambling license in Romania
Online gambling license in Romania
The offer of gambling products in Romania is subject to the licensing and authorization procedure. In order to apply for an online license and authorization, several technical and operational requirements must be met. The following requirements are of particular importance:
List
List
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Localization requirements. Firstly, the operator’s main server must be located in Romania or another EU or EEA member state, or in Switzerland. In addition, if the primary server is not located in Romania, secure and mirror servers must be installed in Romania.
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The use of class 2 licensees. Remote gambling organizers can operate in Romania, relying only on products and services offered by B2B providers that have a class 2 license. Actions that entail an obligation to obtain a class 2 license include software development, platform management, payment processing, and certification.
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Certification requirements. Any operator applying for an online license must have a certificate for a gambling system (software and platform are included in the scope of certification) issued by a specialized company that has a class 2 license.
Betting license in Romania
Despite the fact that when making bets, the outcome does not depend on the RNG or software, such venues are also required to meet the requirements for electronics. The presence of CCTV cameras is mandatory, this helps to resolve contentious situations. Video surveillance is carried out both in the room and in the cashier's room. The record must be stored for at least 10 days, the black and white format is prohibited.
Owners and employees of the bookmaker office are forbidden to take part in disputes and play games of chance even through intermediaries. You can get a betting license in Romania with the help of Law&Trust lawyers. We have detailed data on all gambling requirements, which will help you avoid offenses and additional liability.
Ground casino operator requirements
Operators wishing to open a casino in Romania must be residents of Romania, the EU or the EEA, and they must obtain the appropriate licenses and permits from the Gambling Commission. If the company is a foreign organization, it must appoint a local authorized representative, whose place of residence is in Romania, to interact with the competent authorities of the country, also having the authority to conclude contracts on its behalf.
It is also necessary to open a bank account in one of the banks in Romania, where the operator will need to keep the players' money. Licensed online gambling operators can also make payments to players through payment systems but only through those approved by the Commission.
The requirements for the minimum authorized capital of a company depend on the type of game that it offers - from 30 thousand to 2 million Romanian lei (from 6,715 to 450,000 US dollars).
It is also necessary to submit a monthly statement to the Gambling Commission, which indicates information about gaming income and payments made.
Online casino operator requirements
Online casino operator requirements
The requirements for operators applying for an online gambling license are mainly technical issues:
List
List
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The applicant must pass the test of the entire IT system in a specialized testing laboratory licensed in Class 2.
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The gambling software, as well as the random number generator (RNG) and return to player (RTP) for each game must be certified by the respective class 2 license holder.
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As for infrastructure, if the game server is not located in Romania, the operator must install secure mirror servers in the Romanian territory, which can monitor the activities related to the Romanian market and check for any incidents. The game server must provide certain data and information to secure mirrored servers. While the secure server stores approximate data from the game server, the mirror server should contain centralized reports summing up daily activity and any financial results received by the operator.
The level of taxation in Romania depends more on the type of activity of the counterparty than on its belonging to any jurisdiction. The specialists of our company provide free consulting to contractors, issue primary documentation (application forms), and also provide all related services: registration of a physical office in Romania, opening accounts with local banks for settlements and making authorized capital, full support of the licensing process, as well as providing legal assistance after our client receives a gambling certificate.
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Dariia Grib
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