Regulator Slept While Bookmakers Cashed Out Millions: Romania to Shut Down ONJN

Romania’s government is moving to dissolve its gambling authority, the National Office for Gambling (ONJN), after years of mismanagement and oversight failures that reportedly cost the country nearly €1 billion in lost tax revenue, according to Romanian outlet Adevărul.

The decision comes in the wake of a damning audit by Romania’s Court of Accounts, which revealed major deficiencies in how ONJN carried out its regulatory duties.

Among the most serious issues: ONJN failed to implement real-time monitoring of online gambling operators and did not verify return-to-player (RTP) rates (determine how much bettors win back). This regulatory gap allowed operators to manipulate reported figures, boosting profits while underreporting tax obligations. Between 2019 and 2023, the country lost nearly €1 billion in public funds as a result.

In response, the government appointed Vlad-Cristian Soare as ONJN’s new chief in an effort to overhaul the agency. However, reform attempts quickly ran into legal hurdles and mounting public criticism, stalling any meaningful progress.

Ultimately, Adevărul reports that the government has opted to shut down the ONJN entirely. Its responsibilities will be absorbed by Romania’s National Agency for Fiscal Administration.