Bulgaria Pushes Gambling Affiliate Tax Plan as Advertising Row and Regulatory Questions Deepen

Bulgaria is moving ahead with its long-delayed 2026 state budget, and the gambling industry is emerging as one of the sectors expected to shoulder part of the burden.

After months of political uncertainty under a caretaker administration that lacked authority to pass a full spending package, the country now has a government capable of advancing fiscal policy. The change followed the April snap election that returned former president Rumen Radev’s political force to power, allowing ministers to complete work on a budget that is now headed to the National Assembly for final approval.

The financial plan projects a deficit of 5.7%, roughly €7.2 billion, against anticipated revenues of €49.5 billion and expenditures of €56.8 billion. Among the measures designed to strengthen state income is a new framework aimed at gambling affiliates operating alongside licensed betting companies.

Authorities want to introduce a formal licensing system for affiliates while also imposing a dual taxation model on their earnings. Under the proposal, affiliates would face an annual fixed charge of €6,000 alongside a 10% levy on commissions generated through measurable promotional activity connected to gambling products.

Officials estimate the broader gambling sector could deliver an additional €100 million in tax receipts each year.

Gambling Advertising Dispute Intensifies

The proposed tax changes arrive as gambling advertising has become one of the most contentious issues in Bulgaria in recent weeks, with criticism directed at the public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television over the appearance of betting-related material during FIFA World Cup coverage.

Campaigners argued the broadcasts conflicted with legislation introduced in 2024 that banned advertising designed to encourage or promote gambling across television, radio and selected public spaces. Those restrictions were signed into law under Radev’s leadership.

BNT rejected allegations that it had crossed regulatory lines. The broadcaster maintained that the content in question involved sponsorship arrangements and business opportunities offered by betting operators to potential franchise partners, rather than consumer-facing gambling promotions. It also pointed to its transmission of football competitions carrying betting sponsors in their titles and to World Cup sponsorship agreements linked to FIFA partners, insisting none of the material encouraged viewers to gamble.

The debate has prompted renewed pressure from child advocacy organisations. The National Children’s Network has appealed to parliamentary leaders to tighten existing rules further, seeking a ban on gambling product placement and restrictions preventing betting brands from appearing in the names of sporting events and competitions.

The group argues that sport carries messages about discipline, teamwork and perseverance that should remain separate from gambling promotion, particularly where children are concerned.

Regulatory Changes Spark Questions

At the same time, changes inside the country’s regulatory apparatus have generated their own controversy.

The National Revenue Agency, which oversees gambling regulation, confirmed the departure of Alexander Popov from his position as Director of Gambling Policy in June. Attention has since shifted toward who might succeed him.

Vladislav Panev, a lawmaker from Democratic Bulgaria, has claimed that Ginka Panaretova is being considered for the role. Panaretova previously worked as legal counsel for the Bulgarian gambling company Inbet, a connection later reported by Mediapool, which cited two separate sources.

The NRA has not confirmed any appointment. It stressed that its priorities remain tax collection, combating corruption and reducing activity within the shadow economy, while noting that any future management changes would be announced publicly.

Bulgarian Connection Emerges in Romanian Probe

Beyond Bulgaria’s borders, the country’s gambling sector has also surfaced in an unfolding anti-corruption investigation in Romania.

Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate opened proceedings in June that led to the detention of two individuals, including a Bulgarian national accused of involvement in bribery allegations connected to officials from the National Gambling Authority.

Romanian media reports indicate that courts in Bucharest approved 30-day custody orders for the suspects. One is identified as the Bulgarian citizen, while the other is Odeta Kristanela Nestor, who headed Romania’s gambling regulator between 2013 and 2017 and now leads the Association of Remote Gambling Operators.

Investigators allege that a €100,000 payment was arranged in April 2026 for an official within Romania’s gambling authority. Prosecutors believe the money was intended to address alleged money-laundering violations linked to an unnamed gambling company. Several Romanian outlets have suggested the operator involved may be Bulgarian.

Source: sbcnews.co.uk

Bulgaria Pushes Gambling Affiliate Tax Plan as Advertising Row and Regulatory Questions Deepen

Gambling Advertising Dispute Intensifies

Regulatory Changes Spark Questions

Bulgarian Connection Emerges in Romanian Probe

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