The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has proposed a new initiative to further integrate the gambling and tourism sectors in Romania.
In a document signed by 37 right-wing MPs, the party argues that the current placement of gambling establishments across the country lacks “economic logic” and fails to fully harness the potential of their correlation with the tourism industry for economic benefit.
The proposal seeks to amend Romania’s Gambling Act to strategically align the gambling sector with the country’s 56 officially recognized tourist resorts. In particular, it calls for linking gambling regulations with the national tourism development strategy, which is expected to drive the growth of integrated tourist destinations under the principle of “balanced territorial development.”
AUR believes that Romania can make better use of the synergies between the two sectors and strengthen its position in Europe as an entertainment hub.
The party sees the economic benefits of its proposal in stimulating investment in hotels, restaurants, conference centers, and other related services, which would, in turn, boost the economic development of tourist resorts.
For operators already active in tourist areas, this would provide an opportunity to gain a competitive edge and open new avenues for growth, while potential investors would be encouraged to develop large-scale integrated projects.
Currently, gambling venues are banned in Romanian towns with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants, except for those located in tourist resorts. However, operators in these resorts can only operate under a special three-month licence.
Among the other anticipated benefits, AUR highlights foreign investment attraction, creation of skilled jobs, an increase in the number of foreign tourists, longer average stays, and higher average tourist spending.
The proposed amendments also aim to maintain gambling tax revenues at levels comparable to current ones, while allowing for redistribution in favor of tourist communities — implying more favorable tax conditions for integrated resorts and gambling establishments located in tourist zones.
The draft also mentions an expected increase in tourism revenues in such regions due to additional local taxes – which, however, could mean new taxes for tourists.
In its five-year financial forecast, the party expects a significant rise in tax revenues, primarily through higher VAT collection generated by the integration of tourism and gambling.
The proposal also touches upon problem gambling, though this part of the argument appears less convincing. It notes that tourist resorts will have trained personnel and specialized infrastructure to monitor players and mitigate gambling-related risks.
While such measures might help prevent incidents related to, for example, intoxication, the term “gambling risks” is too broad and may also refer to problem gambling itself.
This raises the question: how can trained personnel identify signs of gambling addiction in, say, a British tourist, given that Romania and the UK use very different systems to assess markers of gambling harm?
The European Committee for Standardization recently approved unified guidelines for gambling harm markers developed by EGBA, but their implementation remains voluntary for EU member states.
Moreover, the party claims that tourist resorts will help ensure the “sustainable protection of low-income citizens from financial risks.” However, this statement seems debatable, since a low-income individual can just as easily gamble online without visiting a casino.
A similar logic applies to another AUR statement – the “reduction of indirect social costs associated with gambling addiction.”
The amendments propose an increase in the concentration of gambling venues in tourist areas to limit access for financially vulnerable individuals, but do not clarify whether the number of such venues would be reduced elsewhere.
AUR concludes that the proposed changes comply with all European requirements for long-term national economic strategies and expects a parliamentary response, given the fiscal significance of the initiative.
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