Romania Introduces Tiered Tax System on Gambling Winnings

Romania has rolled out a new tax framework on gambling winnings, effective from 1 August 2026, as part of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s fiscal programme aimed at narrowing the country’s budget deficit. 

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The deficit, currently at 7% of GDP, is the highest in Central Europe and above the threshold set by the European Commission. To meet commitments agreed with Brussels, the government has introduced a three-tier withholding regime that increases the state’s share of customer payouts across all levels. 

Under the revised system, winnings up to RON10,000 (€2,000) are taxed at 4%, compared with the previous 3%. Prizes between RON10,001 (€2,000) and RON66,750 (€13,350) face a fixed charge of RON400 (€80) plus 20% of the amount above RON10,000 according to SBC News.

For winnings above RON66,750, the tax rises sharply to RON11,750 (€2,350) plus 40% of the excess. 

Bolojan leads Romania’s gambling reform

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has placed gambling at the center of his first wave of fiscal changes, rolling out new tax rules alongside broader measures to raise VAT and excise duties. 

His election in 2025, alongside President Nicușor Dan, gave fresh momentum to a wider overhaul of gambling laws and licensing. The agenda is backed by a four-party coalition of PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR, each pushing different priorities. 

Among them, USR has been the most vocal critic of the current system, repeatedly calling for the National Office for Gambling to lose some of its supervisory powers after audit findings raised concerns last year. 

Meanwhile, PSD has pressed for tougher consumer protections, including raising the legal gambling age from 18 to 21, though that proposal has yet to pass parliament.

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ONJN corruption troubles continue

The new tax system comes as Romania’s gambling regulator is again under fire, with prosecutors accusing deputy director general Ana-Maria Badea of taking bribes to fast-track approvals for gambling products. 

The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has asked a court to approve a 30-day preventive arrest, saying the alleged payments were part of repeated acts of corruption inside the National Office for Gambling. 

Investigators believe Badea accepted €2,500 to speed up authorisations, while her husband and several inspectors have also been placed under judicial control as the inquiry widens

The scandal adds pressure on ONJN president Vlad-Cristian Soare, who admitted that four employees from the regulator’s control and authorisation departments are now under investigation. 

It also follows closely on the arrest of former ONJN president Odeta Nestor in June, accused of helping arrange a €100,000 bribe linked to money-laundering violations. Nestor, who later headed the Association of Remote Gambling Operators, was placed under house arrest. 

The regulator’s credibility had already been shaken by a 2025 audit that revealed nearly €1 billion in gambling tax revenue had gone uncollected, prompting the resignation of its former chief.

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