Bulgarian political parties propose ban on gambling advertising

Political parties in Bulgaria are advocating for stricter regulations and a potential total ban on gambling advertising to close existing legislative loopholes.

Democratic Bulgaria has proposed a bill to the National Assembly to amend the Gambling Act. The proposal aims to eliminate loopholes that allow operators to bypass current restrictions through billboards, banners, and national television broadcasts. The initiative includes implementing proactive monitoring of online advertising and increasing the responsibilities of social media platforms and search engines. Boyar Bozhanev, co-chairman of ‘Da, Bulgaria’ and deputy chairman of the Democratic Bulgaria parliamentary group, stated that the move is necessary to limit the negative impact on Bulgarian citizens.

Similarly, the We Continue the Change party is calling for robust rules to prevent indirect advertising strategies. Proposed measures include banning product placement for gambling brands, limiting the size of gambling logos on adult sportswear to 10cm by 10cm, and requiring responsible gambling warnings to occupy at least 10% of advertisement space. Party chairman Assen Vassilev highlighted that current loopholes allow companies to achieve prime-time visibility through affiliates and branding that avoids being classified as direct advertising. The party is also discussing these measures with European MEPs to explore potential EU-wide regulations.