Betting has been a major pastime in various European countries throughout the ages. Growth in this industry has been spurred on by the advent of the internet and a shift towards online betting.
However, online sports betting in Romania was only formally legalised in 2016. Fortunately, today there are a host of exciting bookmakers accepting Romanian players. It’s possible to enjoy a wide range of betting services with the latest Romanian bookmakers. Read on to find out more about the current betting landscape.
Prior to 1990, betting in Romania was never permitted. For the most part, and on any legal front, any type of gambling activity was strictly banned by the state. After changes in the regime took place, a gradual acceptance of gambling came to the fore. This isn’t to say that online betting came into the fold any time soon after 1990. In 2016, online betting on sports was legalised by the Romanian government. In order for online betting sites to operate within the confines of state gambling laws, it’s important that they apply for a licence from the National Gambling Office – also known as the ONJN.
There are over 20 Romanian bookmakers that possess a valid license and provide online betting services throughout the country. But, there is a clear trend that locals prefer using international bookmakers accepting Romanian players. As such, we’re going to outline the best betting sites in Romania. We will also provide you with pointers as to how you can set up your account and start wagering real money bets!
As we’ve outlined above, the acceptance of gambling practices in Romania only took on a favourable light from the 90s onwards. The market for sports betting took form in the early 2000s when the Romanian government decided to open up the domestic stage to foreign competition. The gambling laws in place during the first decade of the 21st Century overlooked online betting and many international betting operators enjoyed an unregulated market where barriers to entry were non-existent.
This all came to an abrupt end with the creation of a regulatory authority called the National Gambling Office. The ONJN started to require operators to apply for a gambling license in order to provide legal betting services. The initial requirements made it difficult for international operators to acquire a betting license. However, in 2016 the laws were slightly relaxed and today there are a number of world-renowned bookmakers accepting Romanian players.
Taxes on winnings are calculated based on a three-tier system. Winnings up to 66,750 lei receive a 1% tax charge. Winnings between 66,751 lei and 445,000 lei have a 16% tax imposed plus 667,5 lei. A tax of 25% plus 61,187 lei are charged on winnings above 445,000 lei.
If an operator wants to belong to the best betting sites, there are various criteria that have to be fulfilled. Apart from basic factors such as a good selection of payment methods or reliability, it is sometimes the little things such as that free bets are offered or the fact that 5£ deposits can be made, that can make the difference. Although there isn’t a massive selection of betting sites in Romania, there are certainly several that provide fantastic online betting options. It’s important to find a betting site that is secure, has an attractive betting bonus, decent selection of betting markets, and a user-friendly platform. Making use of a betting site that ticks all of these boxes will elevate your entire betting experience.
As such, we’ve highlighted a couple of operators that we feel provide the best football betting sites in Romania. Unibet stands out head and shoulders above the rest. You’ll find a compelling welcome bonus on offer as well as a betting site that is innovative and easy to use. There’s also a massive selection of markets and competitive odds for you to take advantage of.
As well as Unibet, NetBet and 888sport are also right up there with world-renowned betting services on offer, so could well be worth considering.
International betting sites do not necessarily possess a local Class 1 betting license. It’s important to remember this. However, the ONJN has made very few attempts at clamping down on this other than trying to hinder players from accessing these sites. Make use of our reviews to find out which sites appeal to you.
Once you have decided on the betting sites in Romania that you are interested in, you can visit the official website. From here, you’ll find that the online registration process is quick and painless. It’s important to fill in all the required details set out in the online form. Keep in mind you will also need to verify your identity and age by providing the operator with a copy of your identification document.
Once you have created a valid account, you’ll be eager to deposit funds. Betting sites in Romania accept a wide range of secure payment options. You’ll be able to make use of online card payments (Mastercard/Visa), transfers, prepaid cards, and e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller. E-wallets are becoming the preferred method of payment. Most deposit options should enable you to make instant deposits so that you can start betting as soon as possible.
The acceptance of online sports betting in Romania might well have set the scene for mass expansion within the industry. However, the current betting landscape is a far cry from that. Today, the pool of legal operators within Romania is still very limited. Romanian players don’t have much to choose from when considering domestic operators. In addition to this, due to the steep gambling taxes imposed on international bookmakers, there is far less incentive for these bookmakers to offer services in the country. As such, many internationally-acclaimed online betting sites have withdrawn from the Romanian market.
This is being said, there are still various global betting sites that continue to offer sports betting within Romania. As Romanian players continue to bypass local laws in order to make use of these international bookies and subsequently skirt taxes, it remains to be seen what, if any, regulatory action will be taken. For now, online betting sites are able to operate within the Romanian market. Even those who have been blacklisted by the ONJN continue to offer betting services. Therefore, we should expect the ONJN will start to foster a more competitive betting industry that includes local and international counterparts all the while serving the interests of the people. All of which will most certainly serve the interests of the ONJN, too.
There are a number of betting sites in Romania. Certain sites have been blacklisted by the National Gambling Office. These operators continue to operate and prosecution in any sense is slow and for the most part, non-existent. There are also close to two dozen licensed betting sites plying their trade and finding themselves in the running to be considered amongst the best betting sites in Romania. Take a look at our coverage of Romania betting to find out which operators provide the best betting experience.
Signing up to a licensed bookmaker is easy. Online account registrations don’t take more than a couple of minutes. Use our latest coverage of online betting in Romania to find a reliable betting site. From here, you can follow the registration process to create your own betting account.
Up until recently, online sports betting had been outlawed. However, the overall betting scene has undergone a major change over the last five years. This has led to a wider acceptance of online betting throughout the country. To find out exactly what the legal situation is at present, head on over to the latest coverage of betting in Romania.
Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.
This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.
