Bulgaria’s National Assembly has approved amendments to the Gambling Act as part of wider state budget measures, regulating gambling affiliates while rejecting proposals for stricter advertising restrictions.
The changes establish licensing and rules for affiliates, allowing companies and platforms that promote gambling products to operate under defined requirements. Both Bulgarian and foreign legal entities and individuals will be permitted to carry out affiliate activities.
Foreign affiliate operators will be required to appoint a representative with an address in Bulgaria to act on their behalf before state authorities and courts.
Meanwhile, lawmakers recently rejected proposals from “We Continue the Change” that would have banned gambling advertising across public transport, radio, television and electronic media.
Parliament also rejected a broader proposal calling for a complete ban on gambling advertising and higher industry fees.
Last week, the Ministry of Finance announced it had begun a comprehensive review of the country’s Gambling Act.
Deputy Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova told Parliament’s Budget Committee that repeated amendments introduced through unrelated legislation had created inconsistencies that could take years to resolve.
The wider review will also address gaps in secondary legislation. Regulations covering maximum online play periods, loss limits, stake limits and protections for players under 24 have yet to be fully implemented despite amendments passed in 2024.
A separate regulation on gambling addiction treatment was published for consultation in March 2026 but has not yet entered into force.
In April, Bulgaria’s Health Ministry proposed revised funding procedures for gambling addiction treatment and prevention, including additional protections for younger and vulnerable groups.
The total revenue at the state-owned Bulgarian Sports Totalizator increased 10.6% year-on-year to BGN 472m ($278.8m) in 2025
