Romanian regulator uncovers secretive affiliate channeling players to illegal gambling sites

(AsiaGameHub) –   Romania’s gambling regulatory body has requested a criminal probe into an affiliate found diverting consumers to unlicensed gambling platforms.

A press statement disclosed that the National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has reached out to the Directorate for the Investigation of Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), seeking help with the case.

The details showed that an affiliate licensed by the ONJN has been serving as a portal to illegal gambling sites, connecting players directly to offshore operators.

“The affiliate’s website operates as a commercial middleman that, under specific technical circumstances, steers or redirects users (prospective players) to gambling operators lacking a Romanian license,” the ONJN stated.

“These sites are accessible in Romanian, and any Romanian citizen can register an account and make deposits to engage in gambling activities.”

A notable detail highlighted by the regulator is that the affiliate website featured a hidden front-end interface, meaning not all users viewed identical content; instead, there was a selective presentation of options promoting customized offers based on the user’s IP address location.

The ONJN insists that this technology was deliberately put in place to repeatedly promote unlicensed gambling in Romania by intentionally bypassing regulations.

“This practice is not an accidental redirection but a deliberate technical mechanism, crafted to gain improper advantages and evade Romanian laws, with the aim of promoting prohibited or restricted content.”

One of the identified illegal websites was a company named NV Casino. An illegal operator with similar initials, Novatech Solutions N.V. Casino, was recently issued a record €24.9m (£21.6m) fine in the Netherlands for comparable violations.

Vlad-Cristian Soare, President of the ONJN, remarked: “The ONJN’s mission is to uphold a responsible, legal, and transparent gaming framework, and any mechanism designed to evade the law and expose Romanian consumers to unlicensed platforms poses a direct threat to public interest. 

“We will continue to take strong action whenever we detect such practices and collaborate with relevant authorities to safeguard both players and market integrity. Those responsible will be held legally accountable.”

In recent months, Romania has launched an effort to bolster its gambling market by reducing harm risks and enhancing oversight of licensed operators.

Measures to restructure the domestic market that have garnered substantial political backing include increasing the minimum gambling age to 21, restricting gambling advertising, and developing new approaches to self-exclusion.

Soare has consistently expressed his dedication to improving Romania’s gambling market since assuming the role of ONJN President in May last year, following a period when the regulator faced significant controversy over nearly a billion euros in uncollected taxes.