Romanian Govt Increases Most Gambling Taxes - Sources

Thus, for gambling characteristic for casinos, the tax for the organization license could be doubled to 400,000 lei (EUR1= RON4.2284), but this level is RON100,000 below the one proposed in the initial variant.

For casinos, the annual tax for each table in Bucharest would grow from RON200,000 to RON250,000, a level set by current legislation, while for each table in other localities the tax would grow from RON100,000 to RON120,000.

For each slot-machine type device, there will be an annual tax of RON8,000, higher than the initially proposed variant, as well as compared to the level currently stated in the law. In the initial variant of the draft document, the tax would have grown from RON3,500 to RON4,800.

However, the slot-machine license tax will be decreased from RON50,000 to RON25,000.

According to the draft document, for bingo games unfolded in gambling halls, the tax will reach RON30,000 for each hall, lower than the RON45,000 tax currently stated in the law. This tax will be added with a sum paid in advance to the State Treasury, representing 5% of the nominal value of cards bought from the National Printing House, a requirement also included in current legislation.

The same as for slot-machine type games, the license tax for bingo games was reduced, from RON50,000 to RON40,000. The draft document introduces a RON200,000 tax for bingo games organized on television.

Regarding lotto games, the unfolding tax will be increased to RON800,000, a level also included in the original draft of the ordinance, from the current RON500,000. The license tax for lotto games was maintained at RON500,000.

The minimum required social capital for a gambling license was increased for companies organizing mutual bets from RON500.000 to RON1 million, while for those with odds betting the minimum required capital grew from RON300.000 to RON1 million. For casinos, the minimum required capital will grow from RON100,000 to RON1 million.

The minimum required capital for lotto and bingo game organizers will reach RON2 million and respectively RON100,000, values that remained unchanged.

The minimum required capital for slot-machine games will be reduced three times, from RON100,000 to RON30,000.

At the same time, organizers will be compelled to create a guarantee fund to cover the risk of non-payment of debts to the general consolidated budget.

Thus, guarantees will reach RON250 for each gain machine and RON50,000 for the television gambling organizer’s activity.

The gambling license is valid five years while the authorization will be renewed every year.

Authorities estimate the new regulations will bring additional revenues worth RON101.2 million in 2009, RON202.4 million in 2010, RON222.6 million in 2011, RON244.9 million in 2012 and RON269.4 million in 2013. At the moment, the state receives some RON120 million from the collection of license taxes.

At the moment, in Romania there are 1,163 companies licensed for electronic gambling machines, 14 for bingo games in halls, 22 for casino activities, 24 for sports betting, four for forecast gambling, lotteries, raffles, interactive games, organized through telephone lines or other means of telecommunication, and one company licensed for televised gambling.

 

 

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