New bill proposes concentrating gambling venues in Romanian tourist resorts

The AUR wants gambling venues to be in more strategic locations.

Romania.- The right-wing popularist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has proposed a legislative initiative that aims to more closely align Romania’s gambling industry with the country’s tourism development agenda. The draft law would revise Romania’s Gambling Act by proposing that gambling venues be located in the country’s 56 designated tourist resorts.

Some 37 MPs have backed the bill, which the AUR sees as a catalyst for “balanced territorial development” while positioning Romania as a competitive entertainment destination. The party argues that the current distribution of gambling venues across the country lacks strategic coherence and fails to harness the economic potential of tourism-gambling synergies.

It argues that its proposal would lead to increased investment in hospitality infrastructure, such as hotels, restaurants, and conference facilities, stimulating growth in resort towns. Existing gambling operators in these areas would gain a strategic edge, while new investors would be encouraged to pursue large-scale, integrated projects, the party says.

The party also anticipates increased local tax collection and higher VAT revenues. To address gambling-related risks, the AUR proposes deploying trained personnel and infrastructure in tourist resorts to monitor player behaviour.

Despite crticising the current geographic distribution of gambling venues and promising a reduction in social costs linked to compulsive gambling, the bill doesn’t actually appear to propose venue closures or a decrease in gambling hall density outside of the designated tourist zones. However, it suggests that new venues in resorts would be less accessible to vulnerable individuals.

Last year, Romania introduced a ban on gambling venues in small towns with fewer than 15,000 residents, triggering challenges on constitutional grounds. There’s already an exception for tourist resorts where operators can apply for limited-time licences.

See also:

See also: Romanian municipalities seek local control over gambling venues