Bulgaria puts affiliate licensing and payment blocking rules into force for gambling operators

Bulgaria’s affiliate licensing framework is now fully active, and the detail that matters for PSPs is simple: unlicensed affiliate traffic can now be blocked at the payment layer. Companies working with Bulgarian gambling traffic also have new disclosure and tax obligations, with a transition window that closed on 15 August 2026.

1. Bulgaria’s Gambling Office under the NRA now requires companies to submit a declaration form covering the affiliate’s web pages, any mobile app offering services, all connected social media pages, and related video and streaming platforms. Approvals can be issued for a one-off affiliation activity, affiliate operations for under five years, or a five-year affiliate licence.
2. The affiliate rules were adopted together with the approval of the 2026 National Budget. Before the change, Deputy Finance Minister Luydmila Petkova said the Ministry of Finance was considering measures to amend the Gambling Act so that “40% of the gambling industry can be moved out of the grey sector into the taxable economy,” and said affiliates generate between BGN 450-500m (£219m) in commissions annually, which are not taxed.
3. The new tax regime for affiliates has two parts: a €6,000 fixed annual component and a 10% variable tax on performance-linked commission, calculated by measurable results such as registered accounts and deposits made, among others. The Ministry of Finance expects around €100m (£85.6m) in additional taxes for 2026, rising to €150m in 2027.
4. Blocking orders will be issued for affiliates operating without an active licence. The NRA can also order banks and other payment providers to block outgoing transactions to unlicensed affiliates, which is the line item PSPs will care about first.
5. The framework has been active since 1 August 2026. Affiliates in active commercial partnerships on that date had until 15 August to submit licence applications. Foreign-based companies that want to conduct affiliate business in Bulgaria must appoint an authorised representative with an active address in the country, able to sign contracts and represent the affiliate before state authorities.

For high-risk payment teams, the operational takeaway is that Bulgaria has moved affiliates from a loose marketing layer into a licensed, taxable category with direct enforcement hooks into banks and payment providers. If your merchant base includes gambling operators or affiliate networks touching Bulgaria, this is now a compliance and transaction-monitoring issue, not just a legal one.