Authorities in Romania have revealed they are going to be taking a greater interest in the activities of unlicensed gambling operators, beginning with a clampdown on advertising. On the face of it, the development should be good news, but Affiliate Leaders take a look at what it means in practice.
In Romania’s increasingly scrutinised gambling market, a new regulatory front has emerged – the role of marketing. Last week, Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN), the country’s gambling regulator, formally called on both Meta and Google to clamp down on illegal gambling promotions across their platforms.
On the surface, this might seem like yet another procedural compliance measure. But if you dive a little deeper, it signals something far more consequential for affiliates operating within the regulated Romanian market.
After conducting its own investigation, the ONJN had identified a slew of sponsored advertisements across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Google Search which promoted black market operators. All of the sites in question were already blacklisted by the regulator, but their visibility to Romanian consumers remained dangerously high, largely due to algorithmic advertising and search relevance.
The regulator’s message was unequivocal. Not only are these illegal platforms flouting Romanian law, but the tech platforms hosting their adverts could also be liable under national legislation.
Its statement read: “We remind you that operating ‘under the counter’ constitutes a crime and that, in the same situation of violating the criminal law, those who favour this phenomenon by providing payment services, content, promotion, and related IT services are also in the same situation of violating the criminal law.”
Under Romanian law, those found to be involved in the promotion of unlicensed operators could be issued with financial penalties ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei. These are not warnings that should be brushed under the carpet.
The ONJN has been under mounting pressure to reform following a damning audit earlier this year that found nearly €900 million in unaccounted gambling-related taxes between 2019 and 2023.
The political fallout from the audit was swift. First, the head of the ONJN stepped down. Then came calls from across the industry to transfer regulatory oversight to Romania’s National Revenue Office.
In response, the newly appointed ONJN President, Vlad-Cristian Soare, has been doing everything in his power to quickly restore confidence in the authority. This latest intervention appears to form part of that wider clean-up campaign.
While the regulator’s message is clearly targeted at the tech giants, it carries significant implications for gambling affiliates who rely on these same digital ecosystems to drive traffic and convert players.
It appears that the days of affiliates relying on volume traffic and semi-anonymous SEO strategies are well and truly over. The ONJN’s move to publicly involve international tech companies such as Meta and Google reflects a broader shift in regulatory strategy – one that seeks to hold the entire promotional supply chain accountable, not just the operators themselves.
In practice, it places the spotlight on affiliates who must be prepared to demonstrate precisely who they are working with, how they are acquiring players and whether those partners hold the appropriate licence to operate in Romania.
The logic behind the ONJN’s move is difficult to argue with. In the eyes of regulators, social media and search engines have become unwitting promoters of the black market, whether it was intended or not.
The ability to profile users with precision and serve tailored advertising at scale makes them powerful tools – not only for licensed operators, but also for those seeking to bypass local rules.
For affiliates operating across Romania, the message Meta and Google were presented with should be a clear wake-up call. The expectation is that affiliates should not just have a passing awareness of the rules, but they should be playing an active role in maintaining compliance.
Those operating in Romania must ensure that every ad campaign, landing page and brand partnership aligns with the ONJN’s legal framework. In short, plausible deniability is no longer a viable defence in the eyes of the regulator.
What makes this especially challenging is the increasing opacity of performance marketing. Programmatic advertising, automated campaign tools and self-serve ad platforms offer convenience for many brands – but they also make it harder to manually vet each touchpoint. Affiliates will face a difficult challenge in monitoring where traffic comes from, who the players are and tracking where their content is being seen.
There’s also a reputational dimension to consider. As the ONJN works to reassert its authority, it will be looking for tangible wins, most likely in the form of high-profile fines or enforcement actions that will be used to send a message – not just to the market, but to political stakeholders keen to see reform in action.
Affiliates caught up in the wrong campaign, even unintentionally, could find themselves on the receiving end of public scrutiny, financial penalties or even be forced out of the market altogether.
That said, there is a potential upside here for affiliates willing to play by the rules. As the ONJN continues to crackdown on black market activity, those affiliates that can demonstrate that they are aligned with the regulator’s new strategy will undoubtedly gain a competitive advantage. Meanwhile, those that are non-compliant will be soon forced out of the market.
For operators, it will be much more advantageous to prioritise partnerships with those affiliates that can prove compliance and maintain transparent marketing funnels. Not only from a reputational standpoint, but also from a business sustainability point of view.
This latest chapter is a timely reminder that gambling regulation is no longer confined to licensees and operators. It touches the entire ecosystem, from developers and influencers to publishers, platforms and affiliates.
The Romanian regulator’s decision to put Meta and Google on notice is part of a wider shift in which accountability and compliance are no longer optional.
For affiliates navigating this market, the message is clear: clean up, or risk being forced out. The tools that once supercharged acquisition now carry greater oversight, and with it, greater responsibility.
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