Romanian parliamentarians have proposed creating a specific criminal offence for match-fixing, carrying a prison sentence of between two and eight years.
The bill would add “manipulation of sports events” to the Criminal Code, according to a report published on 30 October. Its sponsors argue that a dedicated offence would make it easier for prosecutors to classify and pursue such conduct.
Romania currently addresses match-fixing through existing offences, including fraud and corruption, rather than a provision expressly covering the manipulation of sporting events.
The proposed amendment would therefore change the legal basis available to investigators. It would not mark the first opportunity to prosecute conduct associated with fixing matches.
The initiative follows commitments Romania reportedly made to the Council of Europe in 2024 to strengthen measures against sports manipulation. The report says legislative changes were expected as part of those commitments.
Domestic investigations have added to the issue’s prominence. Two major criminal cases concerning alleged match-fixing in lower-league Romanian football were reportedly opened during 2026.
Separately, Romania’s gambling regulator ONJN is preparing improvements to self-exclusion procedures and a digital complaints-tracking system.
The wider sector has also faced commercial pressure: workers in Constanța protested over unpaid wages, while official figures showed a 20.1% annual decline in gambling and recreational activities turnover in July.
The absence of a specific match-fixing offence does not prevent prosecution under existing fraud or corruption provisions
