Two Bulgarian political parties have submitted an amendment to the country’s gambling law that aims to ban betting advertising nationwide.
If this change is successful, Bulgaria will mark a significant milestone in history as the first European Union member to enforce a nationwide ban on gambling advertising.
This potential change could alter the landscape of the industry and trigger a domino effect for other EU countries.
Bulgaria calls for a ban on gambling advertising
As Gambling Insider reports, the amendment to the gambling law was submitted to the Bulgarian National Assembly on April 24th.
The two parties responsible for the submission, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), strongly support the updated regulations.
If successful, the change to current legislation will ban all advertising on broadcast networks, social media and published media such as magazines and billboards.
GERB deputy chairwoman Temenuzhka Petkova said: “It is no secret that gambling addiction in our society has increased extremely in the last three years.”
The Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA) has been fighting problem gambling for some time. Last year, the financial regulator stepped in to crack down on over 600 unlicensed websites offering gambling.
Politicians such as Petkova and Yordan Tsonev, deputy leader of the MRF parliamentary group, are optimistic about the proposed ban.
They believe that this increased control of gambling operators in the country will not only protect Bulgaria’s younger generation, but also lead to a healthier and more responsible gambling environment.
Gambling operators in Bulgaria have also received higher taxes on their practices. In December 2023, due to the country’s parliamentary changes, some of the fees received by these companies would double and in some cases triple.
Bulgaria is not the only European Union member increasing pressure on gambling operators to protect vulnerable people.
The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has introduced updated laws that limit the amount individuals can stake. In a significant development that would hurt the wallets of British gambling chains, the maximum stake limit of £5 ($6.26) has been introduced to limit the amount that under-25s can bet.
Image: Ideogram.