Bulgaria’s gaming hall and casino industry has urged the government to overhaul the Gambling Act, warning it is ready to stage “peaceful protests” if its demands are not met.
In 2024, Bulgaria adopted a major package of amendments to the Gambling Act, introducing some of the country’s most significant gambling reforms in almost a decade.
Among the changes, the law reinforced a requirement prohibiting gaming halls and casinos from operating within 300 metres of educational institutions and several other designated locations.
A subsequent draft amendment to the Gambling Act, published recently for consultation, proposed that relevant gambling operators submit evidence of compliance with the location rules by 30 April 2027.
In a statement sent to SBC News, the Association of Organisers of Gambling Games and Activities in Bulgaria (AOGGAB) has urged the government to reconsider the rules, arguing that the legislation has created a loophole by excluding bookmaker betting points, which it claims are opening in place of closed gaming halls.
Georgi Petkov, an AOGGAB member, said: “I have already observed that in some small towns where they close gaming halls, they open three or four bookmaker offices per closed hall.”
AOGGAB argues that, without amendments to the current framework, its implementation will give operators of bookmaker betting points a government-backed competitive advantage over gaming halls and casinos, some of which have already paid for multi-year licences.
The Association has therefore called for equal treatment of all types of land-based gambling and betting venues. It has also requested evidence of the state’s oversight of betting points, particularly measures to prevent minors and vulnerable people from accessing on-site betting services.
Beyond the licensing and investment costs incurred by licensed venues – which AOGGAB says can reach approximately €1.3m (£1m) for larger establishments – the Association warned that the location restrictions could also cause significant disruption to employment.
AOGGAB estimates that around 800 licensed gaming halls could close, potentially putting up to 20,000 jobs at risk. It also warned that the closures could result in approximately €400m in lost tax revenue.
Against this backdrop, representatives of the gaming hall and casino sector have entered talks with the Deputy Minister of Finance. AOGGAB said the sector was prepared to support the proposed advertising restrictions and tax increases, provided the distance requirements were lifted for already-licensed venues.
The Association warned that, without an agreement, “representatives of the legal gambling business are ready to peacefully protest if their concerns remain unanswered”.
