Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN) has taken action against tech giants Meta and Google, demanding that they immediately remove sponsored advertisements promoting unauthorized gambling operations within the country. This formal request comes after the ONJN discovered that paid ads for unlicensed operators were running on several platforms owned by Meta, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, as well as appearing in Google search results.

Pressure on Meta and Google to address illegal ads:

The ONJN revealed that the advertisements were promoting gambling websites that are listed on the ONJN’s blacklist, which includes operators that violate Romania’s gambling laws. These ads directly targeted the Romanian public and encouraged illegal gambling activity, which is prohibited by Romanian legislation.

The ONJN has requested that Meta and Google conduct investigations into the issue, suspend the unauthorized advertisements immediately, and provide detailed information about the accounts running these campaigns, including revenue generated by the platforms. The gambling regulator has also called for steps to be taken to prevent future violations of this nature.

Romanian law is clear on the consequences of promoting unauthorized gambling. The legislation stipulates fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei (approximately €9,900 to €19,800) for those found guilty of promoting illegal gambling operations. In addition to these fines, authorities have the power to seize any proceeds derived from such illicit activities.

In a firm warning, the ONJN reiterated that operating gambling services “under the counter” is considered a criminal offense in Romania. It also emphasized that any individuals or organizations providing payment services, content, promotion, or IT services to unlicensed gambling operators could face similar criminal charges for their involvement in facilitating such illegal activities.

ONJN’s continued efforts to combat the black market:

As stated in the regulator’s press release, its actions align with its ongoing mission to protect consumers, combat the black market, and maintain a safe and legal gambling environment in Romania. The ONJN has consistently highlighted the importance of adhering to the rules and working only with licensed operators to ensure the integrity of the gambling sector.

The ONJN’s efforts to remove illegal advertisements come at a time when the regulator is facing increasing scrutiny over its performance. Recent reports have raised concerns about its ability to effectively monitor the gambling market, especially online operations. A critical audit by Romania’s Court of Accounts earlier this year revealed significant discrepancies in how the ONJN had handled its oversight responsibilities.

The audit uncovered that the ONJN had been collecting fees from licensed operators without properly verifying their activity reports. This oversight may have led to a loss of state revenue, with the auditors finding discrepancies amounting to nearly 79 million lei in undeclared fees for 2022-2023 alone. The total penalties and fines related to these discrepancies amounted to over 116 million lei.

Further criticism from the Court of Accounts pointed to the ONJN’s failure to implement essential monitoring systems, such as secure terminals to provide continuous access to gambling operators’ servers. Without these systems, the ONJN was unable to accurately verify the financial reports submitted by operators, allowing potential underreporting of earnings and avoidance of proper licensing fees.