Romania Online Casino Licensing Under ONJN Explained

Romania has a well-established gambling regulatory system. It is one of the markets in Central and Eastern Europe with a clear approach in this area. There are clear rules regarding taxes and player protection. But what does that mean for you? We’ve put together this guide to analyze how the system currently works. Find out whether or not it’s worth signing up for an Romania online casino.

• Romania’s Gambling Regulator: ONJN
• Key Romanian Licensing Facts
• Romania’s Place in the Eastern European iGaming Market
• How Players are Protected in Romania
• Local and International Operators?
• The Bottom Line for Players
• How We Verified This

Romania’s Gambling Regulator: ONJN

In Romania, the gambling market is regulated by the Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN).

Youre probably wondering what exactly the ONJN does. Well, it grants licenses and ensures that operators comply with the rulesu. Furthermore, starting in 2025, the ONJN was also granted the right to request the removal of illegal gambling-related content. This was due to amendments made by Law No. 141/2025. Also starting at that time, Class II license holders are required to submit a monthly report on access attempts and blocked domains.

However, in 2025, following an audit by the Court of Auditors, several isues were highlighted regarding the ONJN’s compliance with and enforcement of the rules. We are writing this article in 2026, and although there have been political proposals to reform the institution little has changed. The ONJN remains the autority that regulates the gambling market in Romania.

Key Romanian Licensing Facts

Romania’s Place in the Eastern European iGaming Market

Based on our analysis Romania is considered one of the more mature regulated gambling markets in Central Europe. We also took a look at industry estimates and found that annual gambling revenues amount to several hundred million euros. This may surprise you, but sports betting tops the list, ahead of Romania online casino.

In neighboring countries, things are a bit behind gambling is not yet fully regulated. Romania took a different approach. It established a regulatory body within the country, and this has made Romania a benchmark for other nations.

However, things aren’t as rosy as they sem. There is no definitive legislative framework. In August 2025, taxes were raised, and there is still a great deal of political debate regarding the powers of the ONJN. Keep reading to find out what else we’ve learned!

How Players are Protected in Romania

In Romania, there are a few simple rules in place to protect players including you, if you play at a casino licensed by the ONJN. All of these casinos are required to verify whether the people playing on their platform are registered in the self-exclusion system. This applies whether the player is new or already registered. If you self-excluded a few days ago, the operator must honor that request and no longer allow you to play.

This past February, the ONJN signed an agreement to establish a single self-exclusion registry. This registry will be hosted on its own platform. If you self-exclude, the operator is required to process your request within 24 hours.

Furthermore, if you want to withdraw or deposit money at a Romania online casino, you must verify your identity. Otherwise, you cannot do so. If you want to sign up for a casino, don’t forget to check if it’s licensed by the ONJN. It should normally have an ONJN license number and links to self-exclusion options.

Local and International Operators?

In practice, both local and international operators in Romania must comply with the same licensing rules because the ONJN does not grant licenses to offshore casinos. If a foreign casino wishes to offer services to players in Romania, it must establish a Romanian legal entity otherwise, it cannot operate. In addition, it must have a representative domiciled in Romania and host its main gaming server in the country.

Have you seen an international brand operating in Romania? It has an ONJN license! Without a license, it can’t give you access.

The Bottom Line for Players

If you want to play at a casino in Romania, the first thing you need to do is check whether the operator has an ONJN license. If it doesn’t, don’t sign up at that casino! A license ensures that the operator adheres to several strict rules.

Of course, you need to understand that a license doesn’t eliminate the risks associated with gambling, nor can it guarantee that you’ll win. You still need to gamble responsibly and set a budget for each session. Before opening a casino account, check the public license registry.

For us, the experts at CasinoAlpha, verifying the ONJN license is the first step we take before reviewing a casino. Only after we’ve confirmed this can we move on to the next criteria.

How We Verified This

The experts at CasinoAlpha, manually checked the official ONJN website and the public license registry. We know that most websites rely on information taken from other articles. We don’t do that! We manually verified Romanian legislation directly on Romania’s legislative portal.

We’ve also discussed self-exclusion in this article, and all the information comes directly from official statements. Additionally, we’ve noted the changes that were still under discussion at the time of writing, and if any updates occur, you’ll find them here.

As we always tell you, gambling involves financial risks. It should be viewed solely as entertainment, not as a way to make money. Do you feel that gambling is causing you problems? There are support options you can turn to right now. If you’re from Romania, check out the national self-exclusion mechanism we discussed in the previous paragraphs.

Keep in mind that this article was written for informational purposes only. Rules are subject to change at any time, so we recommend that you always check the current requirements directly on the ONJN website.