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Romania’s co-ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) has announced that eliminating gambling advertisements is one of its main legislative proposals for the autumn parliamentary session which began on September 2.
The proposal is listed as the sixth of the 11 legislative priorities defined by the PNL in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of the Romanian parliament. The party said in a social media post published on its official Facebook account that it will intensify efforts to transform its proposals into legislation by the end of this year.
“These are our legislative priorities for the period of September to December 2024 … and we will mobilise all [social] groups … to make these priorities binding laws,” according to the PNL.
“Voting against these projects means voting against the Romanians", said Gabriel Andronache, the leader of PNL lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies, as quoted in the statement.
The party did not disclose the details of its proposed ban and when it could be introduced.
Under Romania's existing regulations, gambling industry players can advertise on television only between 11 pm and 6 am, and during live sports broadcasts. At the same time, there are no limits imposed on online gambling advertising in the Romanian market.
The PNL is currently part of a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) whose leader Marcel Ciolacu serves as the country’s prime minister.
The PNL’s leader Nicolae Ciucă is the President of the Romanian Senate, the upper chamber of the nation’s parliament. The PSD holds 107 of the 330 seats in the lower chamber, while the PNL holds 79. The composition of the lower chamber makes it unlikely that the PNL will be able to pass the proposed ban on gambling advertising without securing the support of its larger coalition partner.
Meanwhile, Romania is scheduled to host a general election this December, and the latest opinion poll results indicate that the PSD and PNL are likely to secure a majority of the seats in both chambers, allowing them to form another coalition government following the vote.
