Bulgaria targets gambling payment fees with unusual 1.5% cap
Bulgaria is proposing an unusual new gambling rule that would limit how much banks and payment companies can earn from processing deposits and withdrawals for gambling customers.
Under proposed amendments to the country’s gambling framework, banks, payment institutions and electronic-money companies would be permitted to retain fees equivalent to a maximum of 1.5% of the value of a gambling transaction.
If the fee charged exceeds 1.5%, the difference would be paid into Bulgaria’s state budget rather than retained by the payment provider.
The proposal applies both to money being deposited for gambling and payments of winnings back to players.
For example, if a payment provider charged €30 to process a €1,000 gambling transaction — equivalent to 3% — it could retain €15.
The remaining €15 would be redirected to the state.
The proposal is particularly interesting because it shifts some of the regulatory attention surrounding gambling onto the companies that process the industry’s money.
Most regulated European markets impose taxes, licence fees and other financial obligations primarily on gambling operators.
Bulgaria’s proposal would instead capture some of the premium charged by financial businesses for handling gambling transactions and payment companies would also face new reporting requirements.
Providers would have to submit monthly declarations and maintain records allowing authorities to track fees generated from gambling-related transactions.
The accompanying impact assessment points to the large volume of gambling payments being processed and the higher-risk classification often applied to transactions involving gambling.
Policymakers argue that businesses earning revenue from facilitating those payments should assume greater responsibility within the gambling ecosystem.
Bulgaria has operated a regulated online gambling market for more than a decade, with licensed operators able to offer products including online casino games and sports betting.
The country has substantially tightened its approach to gambling in recent years.
Most gambling advertising across television, radio and other media was prohibited in 2024, while Bulgarian authorities have continued blocking access to gambling websites operating without local authorisation.
The latest proposal could also indirectly reduce costs for players.
If payment companies respond by reducing gambling transaction fees to 1.5% rather than charging a higher amount and surrendering the difference to the government, customers could ultimately pay less when moving money into or out of gambling accounts.
However, that outcome is not guaranteed with the proposal remaining at the consultation stage and is open for public comment until October 23.
