Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has ordered the blocking of 30 unlicensed gambling websites offering remote gambling services without the necessary authorisations or payment of required fees. This violates Romanian gambling laws and regulatory compliance standards for safeguarding players.

As part of the decision, internet service providers in Romania must block access to the blacklisted sites within 15 days of notification. All redirected traffic will be sent to a designated ONJN IP address. The regulator’s General Directorate for Computerisation and Monitoring of Gambling will also distribute the updated blacklist to authorised electronic communications providers within 48 hours.

Sites Impacted by the Blacklist

The 30 domains identified cover a mix of international casino platforms and less-known operators targeting Romanian players without a licence. Among the sites are wazbee.casino, jacktop.com, several platforms branded under the nv name ranging from nv5.casino to nv93.casino, as well as roostake.com and multiple ybets domains.

By publishing and enforcing the blacklist, ONJN aims to prevent unlicensed operators from accessing the Romanian market and protect consumers from potentially unsafe or unregulated platforms. Affected operators have the option of filing an administrative appeal through the Bucharest Court of Appeal within 30 days of the decision. But, these appeals are rarely successful once regulatory procedures have been finalised.

Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies

This latest enforcement step comes amid mounting pressure on ONJN and the broader gambling sector in Romania. Earlier this year, the Court of Accounts reported significant compliance and oversight gaps within the country’s regulatory framework. According to its findings, up to RON 3.6 billion in licence and authorisation fees might have gone undeclared between 2019 and 2023.

This official report sparked political debate over the effectiveness of the ONJN and the wider need for stricter gambling oversight. Lawmakers and industry observers have since raised concerns about the regulator’s ability to manage the local and foreign operators, as online gambling activity in Romania grows.

Stricter Measures on the Horizon

The revelations have already prompted discussion around potential new measures, including possible caps on player spending and tighter financial reporting obligations for operators. Policymakers argue that such reforms are necessary to ensure the integrity of the gambling market and to safeguard state revenue streams.

By blacklisting unlicensed sites, ONJN is signalling its intention to enforce existing rules more robustly and demonstrate accountability in light of recent criticism. The regulator has framed the move as part of its commitment to protect consumers and maintain a regulated gambling environment.