Romania has one of Central and Eastern Europe’s oldest gambling traditions, anchored by a state lottery founded in 1906 and today dominated by football-led sports betting. After gambling was suppressed under communism, it was re-legalised following the 1989 revolution and grew into a large, ONJN-regulated online market led by home-grown giant Superbet - though rising concern over advertising and problem gambling is now reshaping attitudes and law.

A long history

Romania’s formal gambling story begins in 1906 with the creation of the Loteria Romana, the national lottery. Under communist rule the state lottery was abolished (it ended in 1947). Following the 1989 revolution and the return of a democratic government, gambling was re-legalised, and the national lottery was reinstated in 1999. In 2014 a licensing framework, overseen by the ONJN, brought regulated online gambling to Romanian residents - the foundation of today’s market.

Sports betting is the heart of Romanian gambling culture, and football is king - both to watch and to bet on. Industry estimates consistently place sports betting as the largest online segment, with online casino (slots and live-dealer tables) second and poker a small niche; the national lottery and bingo make up smaller, steady segments.

SegmentRelative sizeNotes
Sports bettingLargestFootball dominant; tennis, rugby popular
Online casinoSecondSlots and live dealer tables
PokerSmall nicheSteady but minor
Lottery / bingoSmallerLoteria Romana, traditional draws

Beyond football, Romanians follow tennis (a national point of pride) and rugby. The Loteria Romana lottery remains a broad, mainstream habit across all ages.

Local operators and the modern market

The modern online market is led by Superbet, a Romanian-founded operator now regarded as the market leader, followed by Betano (part of the Fortuna Entertainment Group). Get’s Bet and Stanleybet are also prominent, while the state-owned Loteria Romana runs the national lottery. All must appear on the ONJN’s Class 1 licensee list to serve Romanian players lawfully.

Changing attitudes

Gambling is a mainstream, heavily advertised pastime in Romania, but public concern over problem gambling - especially among young people - and over aggressive advertising has grown sharply. In February 2026 the Senate approved proposals to raise the minimum gambling age to 21 and to curb advertising; those bills still need Chamber of Deputies approval. Alongside a higher tax on winnings from August 2025 and a national self-exclusion register, these moves point to a market under tighter scrutiny - amplified by the political uncertainty that followed the government’s collapse in May 2026.

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