Bulgaria unveils 2026 gambling licence fee increase

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Finance has unveiled plans to raise gambling licence fees as part of its 2026 fiscal framework, according to the updated Medium-Term Budget Forecast for 2026-2028.

Under the proposed amendments to the Gambling Act, the variable portion of the two-part state fee for maintaining licences will increase from 20% to 25%, starting 1 January 2026. The revision will affect lotteries, raffles, toto, bingo, keno, and online betting operators.

Currently, most gambling operators pay a one-time fixed fee of BGN 300,000 (€153,000) plus a 20% variable charge on the difference between bets collected and winnings paid. Online betting firms pay a higher fixed rate of BGN 400,000 (€204,000) alongside the same 20% variable component.

The proposed five-percentage-point rise is expected to bring in roughly €32 million ($37 million) in additional state revenue. According to the Ministry, the measure aims to “generate extra income for the national budget and secure additional funding for social and economic programs in the public interest.”

However, the forecast does not include estimates of the measure’s fiscal impact for 2027–2028, even though the report spans those years.

This plan updates an earlier proposal introduced under former caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, which sought a steeper increase to 30% but was eventually dropped along with a planned banking tax. The current administration, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, instead opted to impose a BGN 500 million advance profit tax payment on banks.

The reform comes amid heightened scrutiny of Bulgaria’s gambling sector. Authorities have recently strengthened public education campaigns against underage and online gambling while addressing the risks posed by the expanding unregulated casino market.