Best Online Casinos in Romania

License for online casinos from Romania

Romania’s gambling market is regulated and closely policed by Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN). Since 1 February 2017, remote gambling is legal only for operators with active ONJN licenses. Consumer‑facing platforms hold a Class I license; B2B providers such as software studios, hosting, live casino streams, payment processors and affiliates hold Class II licenses. ONJN keeps public registers of licensees, publishes enforcement decisions and maintains a national blacklist of unlicensed domains that ISPs are instructed to block.

The regulator requires operators to ring‑fence player balances and to be able to repay players even under stress. From 1 January 2025 ONJN set a hard financial backstop: a guarantee fund of 5,000,000 EUR for online casinos and 2,000,000 EUR for other online games. Platforms must certify RNGs and RTP via approved labs, connect systems for real‑time oversight, and keep auditable logs of transactions and sessions for five years. Anti‑money laundering controls are mandatory, with know‑your‑customer checks, reporting thresholds and cooperation with Romania’s Financial Intelligence Unit. Operators may only use Class II‑licensed payment processors and must hold accounts in Romania for player funds.

Romania runs one of Europe’s more robust self‑exclusion frameworks. ONJN operates a real‑time encrypted database of self‑excluded and undesirable persons; operators have direct access to it and must block access across all of their domains and accounts as soon as a player self‑excludes on any of them. The procedure was streamlined in 2025: players can file in person at ONJN offices, by e‑mail with a qualified electronic signature, through a notary or lawyer, or via a licensed operator who must forward the request to ONJN within two working days. ONJN confirms each request and also processes withdrawals of self‑exclusion, which can only be filed with the regulator, not with a casino.

Player protection extends to advertising. Visible ads must carry the operator’s authorization series and number. Large outdoor ads are capped; advertising jackpots or prize amounts on outdoor signs is banned; unsolicited e‑mail is not allowed. Bonus promotion is limited to an operator’s own channels, licensed affiliate pages, or direct opt‑in communications to active account holders. ONJN actively fights the black market: it publishes a blacklist, issues take‑down decisions, conducts inspections and imposes fines, including confiscations and license withdrawals. Participation in unlicensed remote gambling from Romanian territory is itself an offence and can be fined between 5,000 and 10,000 RON.

As for cryptocurrencies, the legal texts and ONJN guidance provided do not define a dedicated crypto regime. What matters in practice is that all deposits and withdrawals must be processed through Class II‑licensed payment processors and routed via Romanian bank accounts. Availability of crypto therefore depends on whether a licensed processor offers a compliant solution; many operators simply do not support it.

Limits and taxes

Romanian‑licensed platforms must offer responsible‑gaming tools that let you set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits and time‑outs; ONJN also enforces the national self‑exclusion register described above. Statutory one‑size‑fits‑all stake caps are not laid out in the materials we rely on here; the regulator’s approach focuses on platform‑side controls, identity checks, and blocking access for vulnerable users.

On the operator side, Romania levies significant charges. Sources summarising the legal framework report a yearly Class I online license fee and an annual authorization tax of 21% of GGR with a minimum threshold, plus a monthly 2% levy on the value of player top‑ups, alongside an annual contribution to responsible gaming initiatives and the mandatory guarantee fund described earlier. ONJN also charges administrative fees when you apply: 2,500 EUR for reviewing a remote‑gaming application and 8,500 EUR for issuing the license. Outside the online sector, a “vice tax” applies to slot machines at 400 EUR per machine per year. For players, winnings from online gambling are taxable; the operator withholds tax on each withdrawal and pays it to the state, with the rate rising by bands depending on the amount.

How to verify a Romanian license

The quickest field check is on the casino’s footer: every legal operator in Romania must display its authorization series and number and clearly show its responsible‑gaming messaging. From there, verify independently against the official register. Open ONJN’s Class I list at onjn.gov.ro/licentiati-clasa-i/ and look up the brand name or domain. Each entry shows the company name, permitted game types, licensed domains, the decision number and the validity period. If you cannot find the domain, treat it as unlicensed. As a second line of defense, cross‑check the domain against ONJN’s blacklist at onjn.gov.ro/lista-neagra/, which is updated by formal decisions and also available for automated DNS updates.

If a site claims Romanian authorization but you cannot verify it in the register, do not deposit. ONJN can and does order blocks and confiscations, and players who use unlicensed sites from Romania risk administrative fines.

How to file a complaint against a Romanian‑licensed casino

Start with the operator. Put your case in writing to customer support and ask for a ticket or case number. Attach screenshots, transaction IDs and any identity checks you have completed. Licensed brands are expected to answer and rectify errors; many disputes end here once a clear audit trail is provided.

If the operator does not resolve your issue, escalate to ONJN. File an online petition via the official portal at portal.onjn.gov.ro or contact the office at relatii.publice@onjn.gov.ro. The central office is at Calea Victoriei nr. 9, Sector 3, Bucharest, 030022, and the public relations line is +40 31 225 6202 during business hours. To report unlicensed gambling specifically, ONJN also operates a WhatsApp tip line at +40 761 890 899 (active since 1 July 2025) where you can send domains, screenshots and other evidence.

What to expect next is a process rather than instant arbitration. ONJN registers petitions, requests information from the operator, and, where needed, triggers inspections. It can fine, suspend or propose the withdrawal of a license, and it publishes formal decisions. In practice, the regulator often uses complaints to drive compliance and enforce corrections; it does not guarantee cash recovery in civil disputes, but its intervention usually compels a licensed operator to fix clear breaches of the rules or to account for your funds.