NRA licence: what it means, how to check it, licensed casinos
Bulgaria's tax authority, which has licensed and supervised all gambling, online and land-based, since it replaced the State Commission on Gambling in 2020.
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Founded
2020
About the National Revenue Agency (Национална агенция за приходите)
Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency (NRA) became the gambling regulator on 10 August 2020, when amendments to the Gambling Act took effect. They closed the State Commission on Gambling and passed its assets, archives and pending cases to the NRA. Since then the NRA's executive director has issued, suspended and revoked gambling licences.
The main law is the Gambling Act, first published in State Gazette No. 26 of 2012 and amended many times since. A separate licence is needed for each game type, such as casino games, sports betting or lotteries, and most of them can be offered online. Licences run for 5 or 10 years, with the longer term tied to higher investment.
For players, a Bulgarian licence means the operator must turn away people listed in the NRA's Register of Vulnerable Persons, a confidential self-exclusion register with a minimum entry of 12 months. The NRA orders unlicensed sites to stop within three days and, if they stay online, asks the Sofia District Court to have internet providers block them. Between January and mid-October 2024 it acted against more than 2,500 such sites.
To check an operator, open the registers kept under the Gambling Act on nra.bg, which list licensed organisers, and compare them with the NRA's list of gambling websites operated without a licence.
Recent changes
10 August 2020: amendments to the Gambling Act abolished the State Commission on Gambling and moved licensing and supervision to the National Revenue Agency, whose executive director now issues and revokes licences. 30 April 2024: Parliament passed restrictions on gambling advertising in broadcast, online and print media. 23 September 2026: the government opened public consultation on a further draft amendment with a near-total advertising ban, higher fees and a requirement for foreign online operators to work through a registered place of business in Bulgaria; it was not law as of the check date.
NRA licence facts
| Country | Bulgaria |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Law | Gambling Act (Закон за хазарта), State Gazette No. 26 of 2012, as amended |
| Licenses | online casino, online sports betting, lotteries, land-based casinos, gaming machine halls, gaming equipment suppliers |
| Licence types | Licence per game type (lotteries, sports and race betting, betting on random events, gaming machines, casino games), each available online, Licence for manufacture, import, distribution and servicing of gaming equipment, Licences issued for 5 or 10 years |
| Market | Licenses operators serving players in Bulgaria only; unlicensed gambling sites are ordered to stop and then blocked by court order. |
| Self-exclusion | Register of Vulnerable Persons: non-public NRA register, entry on request for at least 12 months, which licensed operators must check and refuse entry to listed people. |
| Player protection | People on the Register of Vulnerable Persons barred from gambling. Minimum self-exclusion period of 12 months. Unlicensed sites blocked by internet providers after a court order. Self-assessment test and responsible play guidance published by the NRA. |
| Complaints | Players can report unlicensed sites or breaches in casinos and gaming halls to the NRA at illegal_gambling@nra.bg, and contact the NRA information centre on 0700 18 700. |
| Licence register | nra.bg/wps/portal/nra/registers-i-spisuci/registers/page.registers-po-zakona-za-hazarta |
| Website | nra.bg/wps/portal/nra/gambling/hazart |
NRA licence FAQ
How do I check if a casino holds a Bulgarian licence?
Search the registers kept under the Gambling Act on the NRA website. The NRA also publishes a list of websites that run gambling without a valid licence.
Who replaced the Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling?
The National Revenue Agency. Amendments to the Gambling Act that took effect on 10 August 2020 closed the commission and moved its powers to the NRA.
How long is a Bulgarian gambling licence valid?
Licences are issued for 5 or 10 years. A 10-year licence requires proof of a larger investment.
How does self-exclusion work in Bulgaria?
You ask the NRA to add you to the Register of Vulnerable Persons, on paper or by email with a qualified electronic signature. The minimum period is 12 months, and licensed operators must refuse entry to people on the register.
What happens to unlicensed gambling sites in Bulgaria?
The NRA publishes a decision ordering the site to stop within three days. If it stays available, the Sofia District Court can order internet providers to block it.
How do I report an illegal gambling site in Bulgaria?
Email the NRA at illegal_gambling@nra.bg with the site address and your internet provider.
Other gambling regulators
Researched by Konrad van Daath, checked 7 November 2026. Facts come from public sources (chambers.com, nra.bg, strategy.bg, kik-info.com, igamingbusiness.com). Always confirm a licence in the regulator's own register. Gambling is for adults only and can be addictive; play responsibly.
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