iGaming business in Romania: The Operator’s Ultimate Market Entry Guide

Want to build your business in a regulated EU market that has a lot of room for growth? The next greatest move you could do is to explore Romania!

Romania has quietly become a popular site for iGaming businesses who wish to be successful in Europe. This is due to its streamlined licensing process, larger player base, and a more business-friendly tax regime. But the requirements are just as real as the chance. To start your iGaming business in Romania, there are steps you need to follow. Let’s get going!

Why Romania Is a Goldmine for iGaming in 2025

The iGaming industry in Romania has matured into a prominent European hub after more than a decade in the business. It has a lot of people (approximately 19 million), a lot of mobile users, and a robust digital infrastructure, so it will last for a long time.

Regulation set the stage in 2015, but the big change came in 2021, when UEFA Euro 2021 caused a huge 90% spike in online betting. This spike didn’t stop; it just kept going. The iGaming market in Romania was valued €752.8 million in 2024 and is expected to be worth about €1 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 5.6%.

Why is this increase happening? A combination of speed, smart rules, and unmatched digital reach. Romania has become one of the most stable and business-friendly places in Eastern Europe since rules went into effect in 2015. For this reason:

• Being a member of the EU makes the law clear and gives investors trust
• ONJN has a strong and well-documented mechanism for getting licenses
• A lot of people use the internet and smartphones, so players can stay connected all the Time
• A strong desire for casinos, poker, betting, and lotteries
• A tax model that is good for business compared to Western Europe

Step 1: Learn the Basics of ONJN Regulation

You need to comply with the requirements of Romania’s Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN), the authority responsible for ensuring fair play. They have to give their permission and license any authorized iGaming activities.

Different kinds of licenses:

• Class I: For operators that allow people to gamble online
• Class II: For payment processors, providers, affiliates, and testing labs
• Class III: For state-run lottery games that ONJN has approved (only for state games)
• Licenses last for ten years, but operators have to follow rigorous restrictions about reporting every year and keeping an eye on things in real time.

Step 2: Establish a Local Entity or Branch

To get a Class I license, you must:

• Start a business in Romania or open a branch of a foreign company there
• Pick a tax representative in your area
• Register with the Romanian Trade Register
• Open a bank account with a Romanian bank
• Keep infrastructure in the EU (data servers or the cloud must be in the EU/EEA, and data must be copied to Romania)

Depending on how complicated the laws are and which bank you choose, the setup period is expected to be between 4 and 8 weeks. It’s a good idea to work with a legal or licensing firm that knows ONJN rules well to speed up the procedure and minimize expensive delays.

Step 3: Prepare and Submit Your Documentation

This is where operators get stuck. ONJN needs a complete and well-organized application package. You will need:

• • Company incorporation papers
  • Full UBO disclosure and an ownership structure that fulfills the standards of the AML
  • Class 1 applicants must show over €500,000 in available funds.
  • Certification of the site (RNG evaluated by a lab that has been approved by ONJN, like GLI, iTech Labs, etc.)
  • A list of ways to gamble responsibly, such as self-exclusion and deposit limits
  • Make a plan on how to connect ONJN’s monitoring system to other systems

You need to give information about your hosting provider and backup server. These servers must be in Romania or in another EU country that meets regulatory standards. If any of your third-party partners don’t have a valid Class II license from ONJN, your application will be automatically denied.

Step 4: Choose an ONJN-Ready Platform

This is where strategic choices are important. ONJN’s technological criteria and the needs of the local market must be met by your iGaming site. Look for:

• • • • Help with the Romanian language
      • Certified RNG and game content
      • Reporting data to ONJN in real time
      • Integrations with local payment providers that have already been approved
      • Tools for responsible gambling, include self-exclusion, time limitations, and deposit caps
      • CMS, CRM, bonus, and affiliate systems

Step 5: Secure Licensed Payment Providers

Romania only lets PSPs that have been approved by ONJN handle gambling payments. Your cashier needs to take:

• • • • Visa & Mastercard
      • Paysafecard
      • Skrill, Neteller
      • Instant SEPA bank transfers
      • Local mobile payment options
      • Security, traceability, and AML compliance are non-negotiables

Step 6: Localize Your Offer and Marketing

To be successful in Romania, you need to know the local players, not just translate your site. What works:

• • • • Romanian website and support that are fully translated
      • Localized bonus campaigns (for holidays like Dragobete and sports tie-ins)
      • Class II necessary for licensed affiliate networks
      • Responsible advertising means no ads for kids or ads that aren’t true

What doesn’t work: purchasing media through unlicensed channels, launching broad, untargeted global promotions, and ignoring the local cultural context. These missteps can quickly erode trust and lead to regulatory trouble.

Step 7: Get Tax-Savvy

Romania has a model that is good for business, but you need to know your numbers to stay legal.

• • • • 16% corporate income tax
      • A 1–3% monthly GGR tax applies to Class 1 operators, while B2B providers are exempt
      • Annual licensing + supervision fees
      • Monthly or quarterly ONJN reporting
      • A local tax consultant can save you from costly errors and ensure full regulatory alignment.

Step 8: Post-Launch Compliance = Long-Term Survival

Getting the license is just the start. Romania is a watchdog market—ONJN actively audits technical systems, performance, complaints, and payment flows. You must:

• • • • Submit accurate reports on time
      • Maintain certified RNG/game updates
      • Uphold KYC and AML policies
      • Offer responsible gaming tools
      • Monitor affiliates and ad campaigns

Slip up, and you risk license suspension or blacklisting.

TL;DR – Romania Is Open. Are You Ready?

Romania is one of the best places in the EU right now for serious iGaming operators to do business. But you can’t afford to do things halfway. To be successful here, you need:

• • • • Local legal infrastructure
      • Certified platform + content
      • Transparent reporting
      • Strong localization
      • Bulletproof compliance

It’s not a plug-and-play market, but with the appropriate partners and some planning, it’s one of the most profitable regulated prospects in the area. Uplatform will help you get into Romania faster, safer, and completely ready for expansion.