Opposition in Bulgaria wants ‘loopholes’ closed in gambling reform proposal

Assen Vassilev, Chairman of Bulgaria’s opposition party We Continue the Change (PP), has called for changes in the latest proposal to reform Bulgaria’s Gambling Act, warning that several “loopholes” could undermine its intended purpose of limiting gambling advertising. On 23 September, Prime Minister Rumen Radev and his cabinet published a draft proposal to reform Bulgaria’s gambling sector through a package of comprehensive changes, including a near-total ban on gambling marketing. The restrictions, open for public consultation until 23 October, propose a full ban of affiliates and the promotion of gambling trademarks across all types of communication channels, among other measures. Where Vassilev saw room for improvement was the exact wording to describe what gambling trademarks constitute. He urged the definition to be broadened to include any brand that is associated with, or strongly resembles that of a gambling operator. No room for .news branding As an example, the PP Chairman referenced a hypothetical scenario in which efbet, one of the prominent licensed gambling providers in Bulgaria, could instead market a brand such as ‘efbetnews’. This practice has emerged across European jurisdictions with broad restrictions on gambling marketing, with Belgium and Italy being two of the most prominent examples. In Belgium, where gambling advertisements are illegal in sports, Entain supports grassroots sports through its softer Entain Foundation banner. Similarly, in 2025 Belgium team Club Brugge FC had a sponsorship in place with U-Experts, which is the sports news app of Kindred-owned operator Unibet. Italy’s 2018 Dignity Decree also imposed a strict ban on gambling advertising, including sports sponsorships. Regardless, some Serie A football teams were still able to strike deals with the so called ‘infotainment’ websites associated with gambling brands. One example was Parma FC, which at one point partnered with Admiralbet.news, while Inter Milan went through partnerships with LeoVegas.news, and more recently Betsson.sport. Vassilev is seemingly taking note of that, and PP will most likely push for the additional amendments to expand Radev’s proposals either by the end of the consultation period, or when the draft enters the National Assembly to be voted on. Other changes he alluded to included tighter restrictions on advertising across outdoor sports facilities sponsored by gambling operators, as well as the potential for a US-style approach where the government works with banks and credit/debit card issuers to restrict payments towards unlicensed online gambling platforms. “Banks are very effective in doing so, if the relevant legislation exists. Currently, we don’t see anything in that direction,” Vassilev added.