EGBA urges Romania to implement national self-exclusion gambling register

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is calling on Romanian authorities to introduce a national self-exclusion register for gambling, highlighting the need for stronger consumer safeguards in the country’s expanding gaming market.

Speaking with Romania’s Antena 3 television channel during a recent event held at the Romanian Parliament, EGBA Secretary General Maarten Haijer said that a centralized self-exclusion system is a “crucial player protection measure,” and highlighted that 17 European Union member states have already adopted such frameworks.

The event, organized by the Romanian online gambling association (AOJND), focused on the role of regulation in promoting safer gambling environments. During the discussion, Haijer presented EGBA’s recommendations for how Romania could implement a comprehensive, effective self-exclusion mechanism.

EGBA proposes that the national system apply uniformly across all licensed gambling operators, both land-based and online. The platform, they said, should be government-operated, compliant with data protection rules under the GDPR, and allow users to easily register through a secure, accessible online portal.

Haijer told Antena 3 the importance of integrating real-time functionality, to ensure immediate enforcement of exclusions, and setting defined minimum and maximum exclusion durations. Under the proposed system, players would also be provided with information on how to access support services.

Another key recommendation is that gambling operators be required to remove individuals who self-exclude from their marketing databases, helping prevent exposure to promotional material during exclusion periods.

EGBA maintains that building a system based on best practices across the EU would enhance consumer protection in Romania and contribute to a more coherent and accountable gambling environment.