The National Audiovisual Council (CNA), which is the institution that regulates and supervises local televisions and radios in the country, has unanimously voted in favor of a draft law that has been sent to the Parliament in the fall of 2022.
The Bill, Initiated by 79 Senators and Deputies
According to CNA member Mircea Toma, the bill, which was initiated by 79 deputies and senators representing all major political parties and minorities in Romania, would prohibit all forms of advertising for gambling venues including casinos and sports betting platforms in the country.
After requesting a point of view from the CNA, its members expressed their supportive votes for the draft bill that was officially registered towards the end of November 2022. In a debate last week, all CNA members who attended the meeting showed their support for the promotion of the legislative project.
Toma explained that the bill received the support of the CNA as a result of the World Health Organization’s report that included gambling addiction on the list of “extremely serious mental illnesses”.
Toma added that the alarmingly increasing number of incidents recorded in the country was another factor that tipped the scale in favor of the vote. The list included several cases of suicide triggered by gambling losses, as well as the loss of jobs, family breakups, custody losses in families with children, and others.
The CNA representative added that it was “imperative “ for Law no. 504/2002 to be drafted completely and approved by the Parliament. The CNA, therefore, proposes that all forms of audiovisual commercial communication for gambling and sports betting be completely prohibited in the country.
The Legislative Project Would Amend Law No. 148/2000 on Ads
According to the legislative project under discussion, all types of advertising for games of chance, casinos, and sports bets would be prohibited. The draft wishes to amend Law no. 504/2002 of the audiovisual as well as Law no. 148/2000 regarding advertising.
The new draft also wishes to add Article 29 of the Audiovisual Law as part of the same project.
Those found guilty of violating the provisions will be fined between 10,000 lei ($2.193,4) and 50,000 lei (10.967).
The Chamber of Deputies will make the final decision regarding the legislative project. Toma has expressed his hope that the project would be adopted in the upcoming months. While speaking about the different origins of the draft’s initiators, he explained that the law should not turn into a heated topic of discussion and confrontation.
The CNA representative explained that the bill has a high chance of being passed “quickly” and gaining the necessary majority of votes. At the same time, Toma spoke about the “influence of the big operators” in the country that might attempt to delay the process.
Last July, gambling operators in Romania were forced to deal with series of regulatory adjustments in the Fiscal Code in the context of the new 40% tax on gambling withdrawals announced at the start of the same month.