Yes - online betting is legal and regulated in Romania in 2026, but only through operators licensed by the National Gambling Office (ONJN). There is no special legal path for crypto gambling: the licensing framework requires player-identification standards that cryptocurrencies generally cannot meet, so betting with cryptocurrency in practice means using an unlicensed offshore site, which is illegal for operators and leaves you without legal protection.

Romania runs a licensed, taxed online market overseen by the Oficiul National pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN). Online casino, sports betting and poker are lawful when the operator holds a Class 1 licence (valid 10 years) plus annual authorisation. A foreign licence from Malta or Curacao is not a valid route to Romanian players - the lawful path is a direct ONJN licence. The ONJN publishes its licensee lists and maintains a blacklist of unlicensed domains (1,546 as of the 2026 ICLG report), which ISPs are instructed to block.

You must be at least 18 to gamble. In February 2026 the Romanian Senate approved a proposal to raise the minimum age to 21 and tighten advertising; at the time of writing this had passed the Senate but still needed approval from the Chamber of Deputies, so 18 remains the operative minimum. Note also that Romania’s government collapsed on 5 May 2026 during a rewrite of the Games of Chance framework, so further changes are likely.

Licensed vs offshore

ONJN-licensedOffshore / unlicensed
Legal for Romanian playersYesNo (operator unlawful)
Tax handled at sourceYesNo - you carry the risk
Dispute recourse via ONJNYesNone
Can be blacklisted/blockedNoYes

Stick to operators on the ONJN licensee list. If a brand advertises only an MGA or Curacao licence to Romanians, that is a red flag.

Payment methods locals use

Licensed operators denominate player accounts in RON and route payments through licensed processors. In practice Romanians deposit with:

  • Visa/Mastercard debit and credit cards (most common)
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay (accepted by some licensed casinos)
  • Bank transfer and local e-wallets
  • Prepaid vouchers

Withdrawals typically go back to the original method.

Crypto gambling status

Romania has no specific legislation permitting crypto for licensed gambling. ONJN rules require player-identification standards that virtual currencies generally cannot satisfy, so cryptocurrencies are not part of the authorised payment set; in October 2025 the ONJN blacklisted the crypto prediction market Polymarket as unlicensed gambling. Crypto more broadly is regulated under the EU’s MiCA framework, transposed via GEO 10/2025 and supervised by Romania’s financial authority (ASF, not the ONJN), with full implementation from 1 July 2026. In practice, crypto play still means offshore, unlicensed gambling sites - unlawful for the operator and unprotected for you.

Tax on winnings

Under Law 141/2025, since 1 August 2025 operators withhold a progressive tax on player winnings at each withdrawal: 4% up to RON 10,000; then RON 400 plus 20% on the amount between RON 10,000 and RON 66,750; then RON 11,750 plus 40% above RON 66,750. The operator deducts this automatically before you receive funds, so licensed play keeps your tax compliant by default.

Safer gambling and help

The ONJN operates a national self-exclusion register that blocks you from all licensed sites. For support, the Joc Responsabil programme runs a free helpline on 0800 800 099 (Mon-Fri, 14:00-00:00) and 24/7 online chat counselling.

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive - please play responsibly. Free help: Joc Responsabil 0800 800 099 or jocresponsabil.ro.

Sources