Bulgaria's National Council for Tripartite Cooperation supported a package of eight draft tax laws on 23 October, including amendments to the Gambling Act, while calling for changes to the gambling provisions.
Finance Minister Galab Donev announced the advisory body's position after unions and employer organisations presented their views, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The council brings together the Government, employers and trade unions. Its support is a consultation milestone rather than enactment: the advertising restrictions and financial obligations remain proposals, and the text can change before any parliamentary vote.
At the meeting, officials outlined a tighter advertising proposal that would allow gambling promotions only at sports facilities, News.bg reported. The Government also said operators' contribution for socially responsible gambling would rise above the amount in the initial consultation draft. It did not state a revised figure, leaving the final cost uncertain.
The Bulgarian Industrial Association supported limits on gambling advertising, but asked for the measures to be assessed together. It warned that restrictions could encourage the development of unlicensed gambling if legal operators lose visibility while illegal sites remain accessible.
The Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria backed many of the measures, including restrictions on indirect advertising and stronger prevention for young people. It objected to a proposal that could let operators redirect part of a compulsory payment towards chosen sports recipients through sponsorship, advertising or donations.
The association favoured collecting the money through the state budget and distributing it under public oversight.
The Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria opposed the land-based gambling provisions, despite describing parts of the online proposal favourably. It argued that venue operators might be required to meet conditions outside their control, creating a risk of litigation against the state.
Bulgaria's Government published its initial gambling bill for consultation in September as part of a broader tax package for 2027. The new council discussion shows that marketing limits and operator payments remain central to the plan, but the employer objections leave the final wording unresolved.
For licensed operators, the outcome of the next drafting stage will determine where promotions can appear and how payments linked to social responsibility are calculated. The council did not set a date for those requirements to take effect.
Earlier in October, Global Gaming Insider covered industry objections to the proposed venue-distance rules, including warnings about potential job losses in land-based gambling.
More than 11,100 people have backed a National Network for Children and Parents Association call to remove the sports-advertising exception
