Romania raises tax on customer gambling winnings from 1 August 2026

Romania has put a new tiered withholding tax regime on customer winnings into force, and the immediate effect is simple: higher payout friction for online gaming operators and their payment partners. The measure is part of a wider fiscal package meant to close a budget gap that the government says is too large to ignore.

1. As of 1 August 2026, Romania applies a revised three-tier tax on gambling winnings. The change was agreed in July by the government of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan as part of a fiscal programme aimed at addressing the country’s budget deficit.
2. Under the new regime, winnings of up to RON10,000 (€2,000) are taxed at 4%, up from 3%. Prizes between RON10,001 (€2,000) and RON66,750 (€13,350) are taxed at RON400 (€80) plus 20% of the amount above RON10,000 (€2,000).
3. Winnings above RON66,750 (€13,350) are taxed at RON11,750 (€2,350) plus 40% of the amount above the upper threshold. In practice, that means the state takes a larger cut across every tax band than under the previous structure.
4. Romania’s deficit is currently the highest in Central Europe, at 7% of GDP, and above the limit set by the European Commission (EC). The new gambling tax sits alongside higher VAT, increased excise duties and tighter taxation across multiple sectors.
5. The tax reform is only one part of a broader political push on gambling. Since the election of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and President Nicușor Dan in 2025, Romania’s four-party governing coalition — PSD, PNL, USR and UDMR — has renewed momentum behind wider changes to gambling laws and licensing, with USR pushing hardest for reforms to the National Office for Gambling (ONJN).

For PSPs, acquirers and banks touching Romanian gaming flows, the key point is operational rather than political: the customer-facing economics have changed, and so have the compliance and payout calculations. Romania is not just tightening one tax line; it is adjusting the cost structure around the whole gambling stack.