Bulgaria’s ruling Progressive Bulgaria party has published draft proposals for a full overhaul of the country’s Gambling Act, calling for a complete ban on gambling advertising.
The draft legislation, put forward by Prime Minister Roumen Radev’s cabinet, would replace current laws with a near-total prohibition on all forms of gambling marketing.
Under the proposals, any advertising of gambling games, operators, their related trademarks and distinctive signage is fully prohibited, regardless of type, method, place or distribution.
The ban would extend across every communication channel, including TV, radio, print, outdoor advertising, online platforms, social media, apps, and streaming services.
A small number of exceptions have been written into the draft, allowing operators to use gambling messaging on their own websites and at their land-based premises.
Sponsored sports events would face strict broadcasting limits, with digital overlays featuring gambling brand logos completely prohibited under the new rules.
Brands would only be permitted to appear organically as part of existing placement on kits, stadiums, or LED advertising boards already in place before a broadcast.
The draft legislation also responds directly to controversy surrounding the Bulgarian National Television’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where bookmakers used primetime slots to advertise business partnership opportunities.
The new proposals would completely prohibit such advertisements from airing on radio or television if they make any mention of gambling brands or associated businesses.
Perhaps the most significant consequence of the draft is its effective destruction of the local gambling affiliate sector, which the Bulgarian government had moved to formalise just weeks earlier.
The timing represents a striking policy reversal, coming only a month after Bulgaria introduced a new dedicated licensing pathway specifically designed for gambling affiliates.
If the draft is enforced as written, all active affiliate licenses would be terminated from 1 January 2027, leaving businesses that recently obtained those licenses with no viable path forward.
The proposals have been submitted for public consultation, meaning industry stakeholders now have an opportunity to respond before any legislation is formally adopted.
The Bulgarian gambling industry is expected to push back strongly against the draft, given how comprehensively it would restrict commercial activity across the sector.
