Bulgaria proposes near-ban on gambling ads and higher fees for online operators

Bulgaria has sent draft amendments to the European Commission that would tighten gambling rules, raise state revenue, and expand oversight of the sector. For high-risk operators and their PSPs, the practical point is simple: advertising gets narrower, compliance gets heavier, and online costs are set to move up.

1. The draft would remove some of the remaining advertising exceptions in Bulgaria’s already strict gambling ad regime. That includes a ban on bright light advertising and window signs at casinos and gaming halls, while sports sponsorship would stay allowed, according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev. Gambling brands would still be able to appear on kits and at sports venues.
2. Online operators face higher fees. At the moment, the variable state fee for online betting is 20% of the difference between accepted stakes and paid-out winnings, and the government plans to raise it significantly. The final rate has not been announced.
3. Other proposed changes include connecting land-based operators’ gaming equipment to the National Revenue Agency (NRA) for real-time data transmission. Since 2020, the NRA has also licensed the gambling business and supervised it, so this is not a symbolic tweak — it is a direct line into operating data.
4. The draft also calls for a review of taxation for certain market segments and for extra requirements on foreign companies generating revenue in Bulgaria. For cross-border operators, that usually means more friction around market access, reporting, and local tax treatment.
5. According to Blask, nearly 64% of search demand in the Bulgarian market is concentrated in three brands: Winbet at 37,55%, Efbet at 14,19%, and Inbet at 12,12%. If advertising inventory shrinks further, that kind of concentration tends to widen rather than narrow.

For payment providers, Bulgaria is another reminder that ad policy and payments policy often move in the same direction: more control, less room for smaller brands, and a better position for operators that can keep acquisition, compliance, and processing costs under control.