Bulgaria’s licenced iGaming sector faced a significant challenge when the Parliament imposed a sweeping interdiction on all offline and online casino advertising. However, a recent revision of the Broadcasting Act has provided a lifeline, authorising promotions on public networking platforms.
The Evolution of Bulgaria’s Gambling Landscape
Historically, Bulgaria has maintained a favourable stance towards the entertainment industry. Since the 1990s, it has embraced a pro-casino approach, regulating games like video slots by 1998.
This changed dramatically with the emergence of Vasil Bozhkov, a prominent entrepreneur and politician who became a major player in the niche. He started many gambling ventures, including private lotteries.
After his business shut down in 2020, other online casinos stepped in to fill the gap in the advertising landscape, pushing the market’s value to around € 85−90 million by 2023.
Licenced gambling in Bulgaria has been under scrutiny for some time, with the promotion prohibition marking a significant setback.
Government’s Strict Advertising Ban
On the 30th of April 2024, the local Parliament unanimously sanctioned a total block on gaming ads, causing immediate unease among industry stakeholders. The ban included all forms of sports betting, private raffles, and online casino promotions, except for the state lottery, Bulgarian Sports Totalisator, which bankrolls local athletic initiatives.
While the government aimed to protect citizens, critics argued that such a broad prohibition would likely drive punters to unlicensed sites. Such platforms can offer players enticing bonuses without accountability and are harder to regulate and tax.
The ban also affected ground casinos, limiting their promotional scope to non-gaming activities such as shows and dining, which do not match the previous commercial budgets.
Social Media Advertising
Facing significant backlash, the National Revenue Agency (NRA) reviewed the bill, focusing on how Bulgaria’s Broadcasting Act applies to internet communications. NRA’s Director clarified that public communities are not considered media in terms of the law, permitting licensed operators to advertise on these webpages legally.
The list of approved online sites includes:
- Facebook;
- Twitter/X;
- Instagram;
- TikTok;
- YouTube.
This correction enables licensed casino operators to:
- reach audiences via social networks;
- reduce the influence of black-market sites;
- ensure safer gaming processes for local punters;
- increase in mobile gambling.
While this amendment does not revive the local advertising sector, it helps the industry regain some of the ground lost due to the ban.
The Casino Market studio is an expert in the field of promoting iGaming projects. Contact our experts to purchase a turnkey solution for your business.
Have questions or want to order services?
Contact our consultants:
- e-mail: manager@casino-market.com
- Skype: support.casinosupermarket
- feedback form.
Check the information used to contact us carefully. It is necessary for your safety.
Fraudsters can use contacts that look like ours to scam customers. Therefore, we ask you to enter only the addresses that are indicated on our official website.
Be careful! Our team is not responsible for the activities of persons using similar contact details.
