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Licensing Jurisdiction

Regardless of what incarnation of the Gambling Commission is being discussed, the jurisdiction always remained within the borders of The Republic of Bulgaria. This means that anybody wishing to gamble or operate in Bulgaria must do so under the rules set out by the Commission. Operators need a specific license to operate within the nation. 

However, any operator based in countries abroad is not beholden to any rules or regulations set up by the State Gambling Commission of Bulgaria nor the National Revenue Agency. That is why it is possible to still find many online casinos and sportsbook sites in Bulgaria that are not necessarily authorized to do so. These sites will typically have their own licenses to operate legally. It is the government’s responsibility to block any sites they do not wish their citizens to access. Naturally, this is something of an unwieldy task that is instead relegated to a tolerated acceptance.

The Main Focus of The State Gambling Commission

A new gambling authority in charge has naturally brought with it some changes. Currently, the main focus of the State Gambling Commission of Bulgaria is to be dismantled and replaced with the National Revenue Agency. This has also brought in new license requirements, such as costs and minimum start-up reserves. A shift in focus also appears to be the way in which collected funds are distributed. A percentage of proceeds has been shifted towards cultural development, which may impact relations with certain sporting organizations that also expect a cut. It is hard to predict the future of a commission during such an unusually turbulent time. This will naturally also have an impact on international operators who will most likely see the Bulgarian gambling market as less of an opportunity to do business with.

Security at Online Casinos Licensed by The State Gambling Commission of Bulgaria

It wasn’t just the country’s National Assembly shaking up the country’s gambling industry in 2020. At the beginning of the year the State Gambling Commission’s head, Alexander Georgiev, forcibly resigning after being detained by police. It was revealed that an investigation was being conducted into his relationship with gambling mogul Vasil Bozhkov. This was following an arrest of Bozhkov where he faced charges of various crimes, including tax fraud and organized crime. 

This could very well have been what inspired the National Assembly to change things, but this has remained quite a tarnish on the country’s reputation when it comes to gambling authorities. While Bulgaria is part of the EU and therefore falls under strong data protection laws, there appears to be no information on their official site regarding anti-money laundering policies or problem gambling support organizations. It is now up to the National Revenue Agency to create a stable environment that is fully regulated and trustworthy. At the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether the agency is up for the task. However, we don’t suspect there will be much love or attention given to foreign online casinos.

Nerijus Grenda
Nerijus Grenda
Last Update: 13 Mar 2023
Nerijus Grenda is a prolific contributor to the GoodLuckMate site. With a deep understanding of the online casino industry, gained from his own experience as an avid player, he offers valuable insights on what sets the best casinos apart from the rest. As a writer, Nerijus shares his expertise through expert analysis and thoughtful commentary on various topics related to online gambling, including casino reviews, game guides and industry trends.
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