Moldova moves to tighten action against illegal iGaming and proposes new sector taxes

Moldova’s government says it wants to hit illegal iGaming not just by blocking websites, but by cutting off the payment flow behind them. At the same time, it is asking parliament to approve two new taxes for the sector — a move that matters for any PSP, acquirer, or partner bank exposed to Moldovan gaming traffic.

1. Prime Minister Vasilii Tofan told a government meeting that many illegal gambling sites operating in Moldova have Russian roots, but he did not name specific platforms. His reasoning was blunt: if one site gets blocked, another appears in its place, so blocking access alone is not enough.
2. The government is working with the National Bank on blocking the money channel, while the State Service for Information Technology and Cybersecurity (STISC) is handling access restrictions to websites. For payment providers, that is the important part: Moldova is explicitly treating site blocking and payment blocking as two separate enforcement tools.
3. The cabinet is asking parliament to approve two new taxes on the gambling sector: 6% on bets placed by retail players, and 25% of the gross revenue of the National Lottery of Moldova or its partner.
4. At the same time, the government is considering easing restrictions on advertising for legal gambling. Tofan said the National Lottery is at a disadvantage versus foreign platforms that keep spending on promotion and continue attracting players from Moldova, so the policy direction is a trade-off between higher taxes and letting legal operators compete with the gray market.
5. Moldova currently has a state monopoly on iGaming. The only legal online platform is 7777.md, which covers online betting, online lotteries, and electronic tickets, and belongs to the National Lottery.