Romania warns bulk of licensed slot machines could disappear
Romania’s gambling industry has warned that approximately 80% of its licensed slot machines could disappear from the market by early 2027 because of delays in implementing new local licensing requirements.
The Federation of Romanian Gambling Organisers (FEDBET) said Emergency Government Ordinance 7/2026 had created an administrative deadlock preventing operators from renewing existing permissions.
According to the industry association, Romania had 43,306 authorised slot machines in March, but that figure had fallen to 15,579 by November 1.
Without further local government decisions, FEDBET estimates just 9,096 machines will remain authorised on January 1, 2027.
The ordinance introduced additional responsibilities for local authorities in approving gambling operations.
However, fewer than 4% of Romania’s approximately 3,100 local administrative units had adopted the necessary decisions by the April deadline.
FEDBET president Alexandru Domșa warned that the resulting closures could drive gambling activity towards unauthorised gambling operators.
“Closing an authorised location does not mean that people stop playing,” Domșa said.
“A large part of them end up on unlicensed sites, where no one checks age, there are no deposit limits or protective measures.”
The federation estimates approximately 8,500 jobs have already been affected by the licensing uncertainty.
It has called on Romania’s government and parliament to introduce temporary arrangements allowing compliant gambling businesses to continue operating until local authorities complete their licensing decisions.
FEDBET also warned that the disruption could result in substantial losses to government revenue.
The figures represent industry estimates rather than confirmed future closures.
