The Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN) recently issued formal rectification demands to tech giants Meta and Google, urging them to immediately remove illegal gambling advertisements circulating within Romania. The office pointed out that unauthorized gambling platforms have been targeting Romanian users with precision through paid advertisements on channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Google Search, allegedly violating national gambling regulations.
ONJN revealed that these advertisements often promote operators on its "blacklist" of illegal operators, suspected of inciting citizens to participate in unlicensed gambling activities. As a result, the regulatory body has requested Meta and Google to conduct internal investigations, immediately cease the related advertising, and provide details of advertising accounts and platform revenue data. Additionally, ONJN has called on both companies to establish preventive mechanisms to avoid the recurrence of such advertisements.
According to Romanian gambling laws, any individual or organization promoting illegal gambling activities can face fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei (approximately 9,900 to 19,800 euros), and may also be subject to confiscation of illegal proceeds. Moreover, ONJN reiterated that any assistance provided to unlicensed gambling operators in terms of payment, promotion, content, or technical services will be considered a criminal offense.
This action is part of ONJN's ongoing efforts to eradicate the gambling black market, aimed at purifying the gambling ecosystem and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. However, the regulatory effectiveness of the office itself is also facing scrutiny. An earlier audit by the Romanian Court of Auditors found that ONJN's review of licensed operators' activities was not stringent, failing to accurately verify payment and reporting data, with a cost discrepancy of 79 million lei between 2022 and 2023, and related fines exceeding 116 million lei.
More seriously, ONJN lacks real-time access to gambling servers, rendering it unable to effectively verify operational data, leaving enforcement blind spots. This exposes significant gaps in the agency's regulatory infrastructure and data transparency, further fueling external concerns about its ability to combat illegal gambling advertisements and operators.
Under dual pressures, ONJN is intensifying its crackdown on platforms' non-compliant advertising while also needing to address its systemic issues, rebuilding public and industry confidence in the fairness of its regulations.
