The National Liberal Party (PNL), the junior ruling party in Romania, has placed the elimination of gambling advertising as a key legislative priority for the autumn 2024 parliamentary session. 

The proposal, listed as the sixth of eleven priorities by the PNL parliamentary group, aims to address the widespread influence of gambling advertisements, particularly in sports, Hotnews.ro reported. 

Currently, gambling advertisements are allowed on television only between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM and during live sports events. Online, there are no restrictions on gambling ads, while outdoor advertising has recently seen some space limitations. 

Despite these existing regulations, the gambling industry remains a significant sponsor in Romanian sports, particularly in Liga 1, where 14 out of 16 teams have sports betting companies as their primary sponsors. 

PNL has not yet provided specific details about the proposed legislation, but the issue has become increasingly pressing. Multiple legislative proposals concerning the gambling industry are currently stalled in parliamentary committees. 

Earlier this year, the Parliament adopted a law that bans slot machines in Romanian towns with less than 15,000 inhabitants.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Andrew Angelov/Dreamstime.com)