TLDR
- Romania’s new gambling winnings tax took effect on August 1, 2026.
- The tiered system raises tax rates on larger payouts, up to 40%.
- The change is part of PM Ilie Bolojan’s plan to cut the budget deficit.
- Romania’s gambling regulator, ONJN, faces fresh corruption allegations.
- A deputy director general is accused of taking bribes to speed up approvals.
Romania started a new tax system on gambling winnings on August 1, 2026. The change is part of a wider plan by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan to fix the country’s budget problems.
Romania’s budget deficit sits at 7% of GDP. That is the highest in Central Europe.
The European Commission set a lower limit for member states to follow. Romania’s government wants to meet that target.
New Tax Brackets Explained
The new system has three tax levels based on the size of winnings. Each level charges a different rate.
Winnings up to RON10,000, or about €2,000, are now taxed at 4%. The old rate was 3%.
Winnings between RON10,001 and RON66,750 face a flat fee of RON400 plus 20% of the amount over RON10,000.
Winnings above RON66,750 face a higher charge. Players pay RON11,750 plus 40% of the amount over that limit.
The new rates apply across all payout levels, not just large prizes.
Bolojan’s government has also raised VAT and excise duties as part of the same fiscal plan. He was elected in 2025 alongside President Nicușor Dan.
Their win gave new energy to plans to change gambling laws and licensing rules.
Romania’s coalition government includes four parties: PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR. Each group has different goals for the gambling reforms.
USR wants to reduce the power of the National Office for Gambling, known as ONJN. The party says last year’s audit findings raised concerns about oversight.
PSD wants stronger protections for consumers. The party has pushed to raise the legal gambling age from 18 to 21, but that proposal has not passed parliament yet.
Corruption Allegations At ONJN
The new tax rules arrive as ONJN faces fresh corruption claims. Prosecutors say deputy director general Ana-Maria Badea took bribes to speed up approvals for gambling products.
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate asked a court to approve a 30 day arrest for Badea.
Investigators believe she took €2,500 to fast track authorizations. Her husband and several inspectors are now under judicial control as the case grows.
ONJN president Vlad-Cristian Soare said four employees from the regulator’s control and authorization departments are under investigation.
This case follows the arrest of former ONJN president Odeta Nestor in June. She is accused of helping arrange a €100,000 bribe tied to money laundering.
Nestor later led the Association of Remote Gambling Operators. She is now under house arrest.
The regulator’s reputation was already damaged by a 2025 audit. That review found close to €1 billion in gambling tax revenue had gone uncollected.
The audit’s findings led to the resignation of the previous ONJN chief.
