Bulgaria’s Cabinet Approves Total Gambling Ad Ban and Sends Bill to Parliament

^{The National Assembly in Sofia, where Bulgaria’s draft Gambling Act amendments now go for debate. (Photo: Plamen Agov / Wikimedia Commons)}

Bulgaria’s government has approved draft amendments to the Gambling Act that would ban gambling advertising, end the activity of affiliate operators and raise licence fees and taxes across the industry. The Council of Ministers adopted the bill on 11 November, and it was submitted to the National Assembly the same day.

The bill has not yet been debated and is not law. Parliament must pass it first, and the government has not set a start date for the advertising ban. The measure follows a public consultation opened in September on a near-total ban.

What the Advertising Ban Covers

The text prohibits promotion of gambling games, their organisers and related brands, irrespective of format, channel or location. The Cabinet said the aim is to limit messages that can worsen gambling addiction or reach vulnerable groups.

A narrow exception would let operators display their trademarks when they sponsor sports clubs, federations, associations and organisations, or support projects in culture, health and education. Restrictions would still apply to television and online coverage of sponsored events, so the carve-out is smaller than it first appears.

The bill also calls for the termination of activities by affiliate operators, which advertise gambling games through affiliate marketing programmes. The Cabinet’s announcement did not set out a transition plan for existing affiliate arrangements.

The government’s package arrives after a group of MPs filed their own bill for a total ban on gambling advertising, and after opposition parties demanded tighter rules in the draft that went to consultation.

Higher Fees and Taxes

A new one-off state fee would apply to companies seeking or renewing licences to make, distribute, maintain and import gaming equipment: €50,000 for a five-year licence and €100,000 for a ten-year one. Online betting licences would cost €400,000, while casino operators would pay €300,000 for a five-year licence.

The alternative tax on gaming halls and casinos would rise in 2027. The quarterly levy per gaming machine would go from 800 leva to €600 and the levy per gaming table from 22,000 leva to €13,000. Other gaming equipment would rise from 5,000 leva to €3,000 per quarter.

From 1 January 2028 the alternative tax would be replaced by a state fee in two parts: a fixed charge based on minimum monthly payments and a variable amount tied to the value of bets placed and winnings paid out. For online betting operators, the proposed minimum monthly state fee is €100,000.

Tighter Controls on Online Operators

Foreign companies offering online betting in Bulgaria would need a local business establishment. The Cabinet said the requirement would help authorities compare stakes, winnings, revenue and costs with declared tax liabilities.

The bill raises one-off charges for issuing and maintaining licences and revises the financial contributions operators must make towards socially responsible policies. Separately, Bulgaria has also drafted a rule capping bank fees on gambling payments, one of several measures aimed at the market this year.

The decision was published as Council of Ministers Decision No. 855 of 2026, brought by the deputy prime minister and finance minister. Parliament must now consider the text before any vote.