The practice of gambling in 2023
Bills proposing the closure of traditional gambling in Romania
Article from the series “Gambling Practice“, by Anchidim Zăgrean, FedBet Vice President and President of ROMBET
4. PL- x 381/2023 received from the Senate, where it was submitted and supported by parliamentarians of the USR parliamentary groups and two from the minorities, under the number L 257/2023. The draft law entered the debate in the Chamber of Deputies, in normal procedure, after it was rejected in the Senate, has the following provisions, according to the initiators: The proposed space is not located in administrative-territorial units with a population of less than 5,000 inhabitants. In these territorial administrative units, slot-machine type games cannot be exploited either by means of electronic devices awarding limited-risk winnings; The proposed space is not located in a residential building or in a mixed-use building, defined according to Law no. 227/2015 on the Fiscal Code, with subsequent amendments and additions; The proposed space is located at least 300 meters from another specialized location where gambling activities are carried out; The above provisions shall apply within one year of the entry into force of this law. Opinions are requested from: a) the Commission for human rights, religions and the problems of national minorities, the commission that approved this bill negatively; b) Commission for public administration and territorial development; c) Commission for entrepreneurship and tourism. A report is also requested from: a) the Commission for economic policy, reform and privatization; b) Commission for budget, finance and banks; c) Commission for industries and services; d) Education Commission; e) Commission for culture, arts, mass media; f) Legal, disciplinary and immunities commission. The exceeded deadline for submitting the report was 19.06.2023 and from the Government of Romania no point of view was attached with reference to this draft law.
5. Pl-x 536 from 2022, regarding the approval of the Government Ordinance no. 15/2022 for the amendment and completion of the emergency Government Ordinance no. 77/2009 on the organization and exploitation of gambling, received from the Senate, under number L 482/2022. The draft law was debated in the Chamber of Deputies, in normal procedure, after it was adopted, without amendments, in the Senate and the ordinance, which is in force, provides for the substantial increase of all taxes regarding the organization and operation of gambling as well as those related to their related activities. Opinions are requested from: a) the Commission for Economic Policy, Reform and Privatization, the commission that positively approved this draft law; b) The Commission for Industries and Services, the commission that positively approved this draft law; c) The legal, disciplinary and immunities committee, the committee that approved this bill negatively. A Report from the Commission for Budget, Finance and Banks is also requested. The exceeded deadline for submitting the report was 18.10.2022.
6. PL- x 338/2020 received from the Senate, where it was submitted and supported by an unaffiliated parliamentarian, under number L 212/2020. The draft law was debated in the Chamber of Deputies, in normal procedure, after being rejected in the Senate, has the following provisions, according to the initiator: the entrance to the space proposed for the slot-machine activity is not located at a distance of less than 200 m from the entrance to the unit, the educational institution, the space intended for education and professional training or the unit that offers education extracurricular within pre-university education, respectively the space proposed for the slot-machine type activity is not located within a condominium. Economic operators who hold a gambling license valid on the date of entry into force of this law continue their activity until the date of expiry of the licence. A report is requested from the Commission for budget, finance and banks. The deadline for submitting the report was 16.06.2020 and the Romanian Government does not support the adoption of this draft law.
7. PL- x 559/2019 received from the Senate, where it was submitted and supported by parliamentarians of the PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR, minorities and unaffiliated parliamentary groups, under number L 397/2019. The draft law was debated in the Chamber of Deputies, in normal procedure, after it was tacitly passed in the Senate, has the following provisions, according to the initiators: Promotion actions, consisting of advertising, publicity or specific marketing activities must not be attractive to minors or be associated with them in any way. Gambling advertisements are prohibited during the day and are only allowed after 11 p.m. Advertising and large-scale street advertising for gambling, as well as the display of prizes outside the premises, are prohibited. At the same time, the visibility of gambling halls is reduced by giving up the light and sound signals that can be visible from outside the premises. The proposed space must be located at a distance of at least 200 meters from preschool, primary, secondary, post-secondary education units and any other forms of schooling that are part of pre-university education; The proposed space, if it is located on the ground floor of a residential building, must provide at least one entrance separate from the only entrance through which access is made to the building or to other locations of interest in the vicinity of which it is located; If there are several entrances through which access is made to the building or to other locations of interest in the vicinity of which it is located, or if the proposed space is on the floor of a residential building, it is not mandatory to provide a separate entrance; If the proposed space is located on the ground floor of a residential building and the structure of the building allows for a separate entrance from the only entrance through which access to the building or to other locations of interest in the vicinity of which it is located, it is mandatory to provide for at least one separate entrance; The outdoor spaces specially intended for smokers with which, if applicable, the proposed space for carrying out the activity is equipped, must be located at least 10 meters from the main entrance to the building or in other locations of interest, if the proposed space is located on the ground or first floor of a residential building. Documents canceling, revoking or suspending organization licenses and gambling exploitation authorizations must be submitted and registered immediately at the National Trade Registry Office. To display in a visible place posters and messages informing customers of the danger of developing gambling problems and addictions in every room in every location where gambling is operated. In the case of remote gambling operators, to open an informative virtual banner when visiting the gambling web platform. The National Gambling Office communicates to all gambling operators the minimum mandatory informational content and the conditions for displaying, drafting and placing informational messages and posters. Economic operators who hold an operating authorization valid on the date of entry into force of this law, continue their activity until the date of expiry of the authorization in progress, when they can request the granting of the operating authorization, providing proof of the relocation of the means of play in spaces/locations that meet the prescribed requirements in this law. If the economic operator was carrying out its activity in that space even before the establishment of preschool, primary, secondary, post-secondary education units and any other forms of schooling that are part of pre-university education, it is not obliged to change its location, but can continue its activity until on the expiry date of the current authorization, with the possibility of renewing it only once.
An additional report is requested from the Committee for Budget, Finance and Banks and from the Committee for Culture, Arts, Mass Media. The missed deadline for submitting the report was 28.05.2021 and the Romanian government does not agree with the adoption of this draft law.
We’ll be back with other opinions in the next issue of the magazine…
