In an attempt to address its budget deficit, Romania has introduced new multi-tiered taxation on gambling winnings.
This system, which started on August 1, 2026, imposes higher tax rates on gambling earnings at every level of payouts. The introduction of these measures forms part of the Romanian government’s strategy aimed at dealing with the current budget deficit of 7% of the GDP, making it one of the biggest in Central Europe.
With new rules RON10,000 (€2,000) winnings will be taxed of 4%, as opposed to the previous rate of 3%.
Taxation on players winning anywhere from RON10,001 (€2,000) to RON66,750 (€13,350) entails a flat rate of RON400 (€80), as well as an extra 20% tax on every amount exceeding RON10,000.
In the case of winnings above RON66,750, taxes will amount to RON11,750 (€2,350), plus a 40% tax on every amount above this threshold.
The new taxation mechanism is part of a wider scheme initiated by Bolojan after the elections of 2025, which comes while Romania’s gambling regulator has come under considerable pressure over alleged corruption.
The regulator has already faced serious criticism after an audit done in 2025 unveiled that almost €1B worth of tax income was not collected, which raises concerns about the oversight and enforcement mechanisms functioning in the sector.