Bistrița gambling hall fined for operating past midnight

A gambling hall in Bistrița has been fined 5,000 lei after local police discovered it operating past its authorized hours. During inspections conducted between Saturday and Sunday, officers found a facility located on the ground floor of a residential building still active at 2:00 AM, despite being authorized to operate only until midnight.

This marks the first sanction issued under the new local regulation (HCL no. 139/2026) regarding the organization and operation of gambling activities in the municipality. The Bistrița Local Police emphasized that the regulations are intended to protect the right of residents to rest, particularly for businesses located in residential blocks.

According to local authorities, the new rules allow for no warnings for these violations, and the fine cannot be paid at a reduced rate. Police have indicated that monitoring of gambling hall operating hours will continue.