Bulgarian online casinos for Real Money

Bulgaria first legalised gambling back in 1957. Throughout that time, local establishments catered to Bulgaria’s seven million population, but understandably, it was hardly a hotbed for gambling. Online gambling was largely unregulated (though not illegal) until 2012. Being an EU member, Bulgaria adopted the EU’s gambling laws and its directives in 2008. For the following four years, Bulgaria tolerated offshore (other EU) betting sites catering to its players.

This changed in 2012. Bulgaria adopted its own regulation and gambling legislation, with a new Gambling Act of 2012 coming into place. This formally legalised all forms of internet betting, assuming operators obtained a gambling license from the Bulgarian authorities, much like their counterparts have had to do.

The new laws in 2012 also did something else – they made it illegal for offshore operators to cater to Bulgarians. An active blacklist was started that year, and today it now encompasses over eight hundred betting sites. The country’s internet service providers are tasked with maintaining the blacklist and blocking access to those sites – even other EU portals can be blacklisted, much to the annoyance of the European Union. A decent VPN is often enough to circumvent the rather flimsy ISP blocks, and there are no punishments in place for Bulgarians who visit these offshore sites. However, with enough licensed and regulated casinos to choose from, there is little need to visit many of these casinos.

The Gambling Act of 2012 sets out the terms for which an operator can legally offer their services to Bulgarians. The operator must apply for a license from the Bulgarian gambling authorities. That license costs €50,000. There is also a tax of 20% on all gross gambling revenue earned from Bulgarian players.

Initially, the Bulgarian government wanted to implement a rule which stated that only Bulgarian operators could obtain a license. That was changed when they realised that not enough revenue would come their way. Bulgaria began offering licenses to offshore operators, assuming they would still be regulated by the Bulgarian authorities and paid a license fee. However, the high license fees and taxes put off foreign operators.

Realising their errors, the Bulgarian authorities then lowered the tax rate to 20% and the cost of a license. This has seen the larger operators move into the Bulgarian market, but it is still a sector that lacks some of the major competition you would typically find in larger EU countries.

In 2021, the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency took over from the failed State Commission on Gambling. A corruption scandal put paid to the former. The new licensing body is run independently from any Bulgarian casinos and slot halls, which were linked to the Gambling Commission leaders, and widely thought to be complicit in corruption. Since the switch, the Bulgarian online gambling market is deemed fairer and more trustworthy. It has also begun to open to more foreign operators. Current gambling licenses are issued for five-year periods.

Bulgaria’s National Lottery (run by National Lottery Bulgaria) has a large following. Sports betting, particularly on football, is also popular in the country. Of all the types of games you can play in Bulgarian casinos, slots tend to be the most popular. Roulette is the most popular table game, and you can find ample options for both in Bulgarian licensed online casinos.

Casino Technology is arguably the most famous software provider hailing from Bulgaria. Formerly known as Megajack, they began life in 1999 and provide video slots and table games to Bulgarian licensed casinos. You can, of course, find titles from other top-tier foreign software developers, too.

Bulgarian online casinos appear in two forms – those licensed in Bulgaria and offshore casinos catering to Bulgarians. The latter are often blacklisted, so Bulgarians may need a VPN to access them. Of course, all the licensed and regulated sites under the watchful eye of the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency are tailor-made for players in the Eastern European country.

It is worth noting that Bulgaria doesn’t mind if players in other EU countries play at their licensed casinos.

Many of the top-tier operators will provide multilingual services to help those players, too. However, sites run by Bulgarian operators and businesses are most likely only going to offer their services in Bulgarian, limiting the appeal of these sites to those living outside the country.