In 2022 the State’s revenue from the taxation of gambling activities increased by 84% compared to 2021
The Romanian State collected 2.16 times more taxes from remote gambling in 2022 than in 2021
The ONJN’s Activity Report for 2022 has recently been published on its website. Even if late, it is good to have some statistical data that helps us understand the evolution of our gambling market. Until we have the data for 2023, it would be good to take a look at what happened immediately after the Covid Pandemic. It will be interesting to compare this information with that of 2023 because in this way we will see how much the legislative changes and especially those concerning the increase of taxes and duties in the sector have affected the sector, taking into account that a first wave of tax increases came in the summer of 2022 during the Ciucă government.
In 2022, a total of 356 gambling organizers and 464 economic operators licensed class II were operating, as follows:
(a) 23 fixed odds gambling organizers;
- b) 1 organiser of games of chance betting on mutual bets;
- c) 1 lottery gambling organiser;
- d) 10 organisers of games of chance characteristic of poker club activity;
- e) 3 organisers of games of chance characteristic of casino activity;
- f) 4 organisers of bingo games of chance carried out in gambling halls;
- g) 1 organiser of games of chance characteristic of poker festival activity;
- h) 280 organisers of slot-machine gambling;
- i) 32 remote gambling organisers;
- j) 464 economic operators holding a class II a licence.
Comparative analysis with the year 2021 shows an insignificant decrease in the total number of game organisers in 2022 from 359 companies in 2021 to 356 in 2022. The activity among poker clubs increased to 10 organizers, in 2021 it was 7, the number of live casinos remained the same – 3, the number of slot-machine gambling organizers decreased slightly, from 285 in 2021 to 280. The number of organisers of bingo games held in gaming halls decreased to 4, in 2021 there were 6. There is a slight increase in the number of remote gambling organisers from 30 in 2021 to 32 in 2022. In addition, the growth in online activities is enjoyed by a greater increase in the number of Class II licensees which has increased from 436 such operators in 2021 to 464 in 2022.
In 2022 the Romanian State collected more taxes, but the number of operators decreased
The ONJN report informs us that the number of operators operating slot machines decreased by 26 in 2022, i.e. to a total of 254 operators. The total license fees paid by them were 75,738,570 lei higher by 76.9% compared to 2021.
Regarding the licensing fees in the gaming hall area, the report refers to the fact that “The licensing fee indicated is for the first quarter of operation”. So we have a total of 447,453,429 lei for 89,913 slots (class A and B).
As regards the specific activities of casinos in 2022, the amount of 1,607,775 lei refers to the licensing fee and 3,289,755 lei to the authorization fee.
The 4 bingo operators operating in 6 gaming halls paid in 2022 license fees of 205.301 lei and authorization fees of 207.774 lei.
Fixed-odds betting benefited from the contribution of 23 operators in 2022 who paid licence fees of RON 6,183,930 and authorisation fees of RON 15,458,302. In addition, they paid a regularization fee (based on the declarations submitted by the gambling organizers according to the Order of the President of the National Gambling Office no. 179/2018) of 119,750,280 lei.
Poker clubs recorded a development in 2022. We have 10 operators operating 13 rooms. The total amount of license fees was 828,623 lei. Licensing fees were 228,799 lei.
Remote gambling
Remote gambling offers a slight increase in activity (increasing the number of operators from 30 to 32) and had 2.16 times higher total receipts to the state budget from 506,197,522 lei in 2021 to 1,096,178,065 lei in 2022.
Fees collected in 2022
Licence fee …………………………… 21,923,115 lei…………32 operators
Authorisation fee…………………….. 86,116,303 lei…………32 operators
Licence dossier analysis fee…………….. 37.103 lei…………3 operators
Licence issue fee…………………………..126.149 lei……………3 operators
Regularisation fee…………………… 987,806,207 lei………..32 operators
TOTAL………………………….1.096.178.065 lei
Class II licence fee……………………. 16,993,038 lei…………464 licences
Fees collected in 2021
Licence fee ……………………………… 8,568,930 lei…………30 operators
Authorisation fee……………………… 50,832,049 lei…………30 operators
Licence dossier analysis fee……………… 86,573 lei…………7 operators
Licence issuing fee…………………………294.347 lei……………7 operators
Regularisation fee……………………..446.415.624 lei………..30 operators
TOTAL…………………………………..506.197.522 lei
Class II licence fee…………………….. 12,750,384 lei………436 licences
Online gambling continues its positive evolution. The number of operators has increased, the number of Class 2 licensees has increased, all aspects that define this branch of our industry are growing year on year.
The total gambling activity fees collected in 2022 from 820 economic operators of which 356 gambling organizers (first payment to the authorization file) and 464 economic operators licensed class II were 2,009,145,827, 84% higher than in 2021 when 1,090,205,214 lei were collected from 795 economic operators of which 359 gambling organizers (first payment to the authorization file) and 436 economic operators licensed class II. The euro exchange rate for 2022, used for the fees established in this currency was: 1 euro = 4.9470 lei and the euro exchange rate for 2021, used for the fees established in this currency was: 1 euro = 4.8740 lei.
You will also notice that the level of license fees has increased substantially compared to the previous year (from 42,808,780 lei in 2021, to 107,668,410 lei i.e. an increase of 251%)! There is also a 33% increase in the fees collected from Class II licensees, from 12,750,384 lei collected in 2021 to 16,993,038 lei collected in 2022. Significant increases have also occurred in the licensing fee, the vice fee or the fees on video lottery activities.
Here is the amount of each fee for 2022:
TOTAL LICENSE FEE for gambling organizers………………107.668.410 lei
TOTAL LICENCE FEE class II……………………………………..16.993.038 lei
TOTAL PARTIAL LICENSING FEE…………………………….554.164.257 lei
(first payment on the authorisation file)
TOTAL REGULARISATION FEE……………………………….1.107.556.487 lei
TOTAL VICITION FEE………………………………………………..190.324.114 lei
TOTAL VIDEO TAX……………………………………………………..29.310.788 lei
TOTAL DOCUMENTATION ANALYSIS TAX……………………..1.075.727 lei
TOTAL LICENCE ISSUE FEE…………………………………………..2.053.006 lei
We would like to point out that, in addition to the license fee and the authorization fee, the legislation regulating the field of gambling requires, in accordance with the provisions of art. 13 para. (4) and art. 14 par. (1) and par. (2) letter d) of the O.U.G. no. 77/2009, with subsequent amendments and additions, the organizers of traditional games of chance characteristic of casinos and poker clubs, the obligation to transfer in full to the state budget, by the 25th inclusive of the following month, for the previous month, the access fees in authorized locations.
The source of the statistical data are the Annual Activity Reports of the National Gambling Office for the years 2022 and 2021 made public on the website onjn.gov.ro.