Iași County Becomes First in Romania to Impose Total Ban on Slot Halls
2026-07-21
Source: Focus Gaming News
Iași County has become Romania’s first administrative region to ban all land-based slot venues, with all 98 local councils voting not to issue new licences under new national legislation. The phased ban will see last licences expire by February 2027, backed by a campaign that collected over 7,400 resident signatures.
All 98 local councils in Romania’s Iași County have voted to prohibit land-based gambling venues, making it the first administrative region in the country to achieve a complete ban on such establishments. The decision follows the adoption of national Emergency Ordinance 7/2026 in February, which granted local authorities new powers to regulate the licensing of physical slot-machine halls.
Under the new ordinance, councils can now decide whether to issue or renew permits for these venues. In Iași, every single council has opted not to grant any new licences, though the specifics vary by locality. Most councils will phase out existing operations, allowing current venues to continue running until their licences expire, which is expected to happen by the end of February 2027. Some local jurisdictions, however, have opted for immediate closure of certain halls.
The ban covers all land-based gambling except traditional lottery games run by the Romanian Lottery and licensed sports betting. Operators in areas where gambling remains allowed must now obtain annual authorisation from the local council on top of their national licence, as stipulated by the emergency ordinance.
According to local reports, the prohibition movement began in the commune of Miroslava, then spread to the municipality of Iași and eventually gained support across the entire county. Pașcani was the final council to approve the ban, passing it after a previous vote failed to reach the required majority. Civic groups În Stradă and Declic helped drive the campaign, collecting more than 7,400 signatures from residents in favour of the restriction.
“No new permits will be issued for gaming halls or for machines of this type,” said Paul Ciobanu, co‑founder of În Stradă, in comments published by the daily newspaper Adevărul. Campaigners argued that the measure would better shield children and teenagers from gambling advertising and lessen the social and financial damage linked to gambling addiction.