Bulgaria raises minimum gambling self-exclusion period to one year
The Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA), the governmental department that oversees gambling in the country, has announced a change to its self-exclusion register for problem gamblers.
The NRA raised the minimum self-exclusion term from 30 days to a year, effective from 27 March 2025. By extending the self-exclusion period, Bulgaria’s gambling authority aims to strengthen protections for individuals at risk of gambling-related harm. It also intends to align its gambling regulations with worldwide best practices, providing people with more time to manage their gambling addictions.
The new self-exclusion period
This new measure requires individuals who wish to self-exclude from gambling to commit to a minimum of one year, with the option to extend the exclusion period if necessary. The self-exclusion programme is completely voluntary and free of charge, available to all Bulgarian citizens who feel they need to control their gambling habits.
The confidential register has already seen approximately 54,000 people sign up. Gambling operators in Bulgaria are required to prevent self-excluded individuals from accessing gambling sites, and any violations must be reported to the NRA.
Strict rules for gambling operators
Under the new policy, all licensed gambling operators in Bulgaria must ensure that self-excluded individuals cannot access gambling sites. If a self-excluded person attempts to gamble, operators are required to report it to the NRA.
The register also extends to employees of gambling operators, who are banned from entering gambling venues while self-excluded.
Removal process change
In 2024, a separate legislation made it easier to remove individuals from the self-exclusion list. Earlier, people had to wait two years before applying for removal, but the new law reduces the waiting period to 30 days.
This change allows individuals to reconsider their decision and return to gambling earlier if they meet the NRA’s criteria.
Efforts to address gambling addiction
The Bulgarian government’s larger initiative to combat gambling addiction, which is thought to impact roughly 3% of the population, includes this new policy update. In addition to the self-exclusion legislation, Bulgaria has also started a public awareness campaign to combat addiction and implemented a statewide ban on gambling advertising.
