# Bulgaria Budget Committee Backs Blanket Gambling Ad Ban and Repeal of Affiliate Licensing

URL: https://gambling-soft.com/blog-en/bulgaria-budget-committee-backs-blanket-gambling-ad-ban-and-repeal-of-affiliate-licensing/
Updated: 15 November 2026
Publisher: Gambling Soft (https://gambling-soft.com/)

On 15 November 2026, Bulgaria’s parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee voted unanimously to endorse a government-backed Gambling Act bill that introduces a sweeping ban on gambling advertising and abolishes the country’s affiliate licensing regime. Approved by the Council of Ministers on 11 November 2026 under Prime Minister Rumen Radev and forwarded to the National Assembly, the proposed statutory amendments represent a decisive regulatory shift aimed at curbing gambling marketing across all digital, broadcast, and physical channels. Under the draft legislation, marketing restrictions extend beyond gambling activities to encompass licensed operators and corporate branding, while foreign online gaming operators will be legally required to establish a formal place of business within Bulgarian jurisdiction.

The legislative package significantly alters market access rules and commercial viability for remote gaming enterprises. Crucially, the bill reverses a policy enacted in August 2026 that had introduced a formal licensing pathway for gambling affiliates, opting instead to cancel all affiliate authorizations and prohibit third-party promotional partnerships. The fiscal framework under the bill also introduces substantially steeper financial barriers to entry: five-year operating licenses are set at €400,000 for online sports betting and €300,000 for remote casino operations, alongside mandated annual contributions toward gambling-addiction prevention of up to €60,000. Furthermore, physical casino window displays and illuminated signage will face strict bans, prompting pushback from industry bodies such as the Bulgarian Gaming Association over proposed gross turnover levies.

For international gaming operators and iGaming platform providers targeting Southeast Europe, the elimination of affiliate marketing and escalating licensing overhead demand a strategic reconfiguration of player acquisition and operating models. To maintain sustainable margins amid restricted local promotional channels and heightened statutory compliance costs, operators expanding into regulated European markets must rely on high-conversion proprietary infrastructure, such as a specialized [turnkey online casino](/turnkey-development/) platform or comprehensive [white label casino solutions](/white-label-solutions/) that incorporate robust regulatory reporting, automated compliance controls, and localized payment gateway architectures.

Source: [CasinoBeats](https://casinobeats.com/2026/11/15/bulgaria-committee-backs-bill-to-end-affiliate-licensing-and-set-e100000-monthly-online-fee/)