Iași County Set to Close All Slot Machine Venues Across 98 Local Councils

Romania’s second-most populous county, Iași, is moving to shut down every land-based venue housing slot machines within its borders. The decision, driven by recent central government legislation, has been adopted by all 98 local councils, each tailoring the implementation to its own timeline.

Some councils are enforcing immediate closures, while others will wait until existing licences expire. According to Romania’s gambling regulator, ONJN, the last slot-machine licence in the country will end in February 2027. Iași is the first county in Romania to execute such a widespread measure, and its size makes it a likely precedent for other regions.

The crackdown follows sustained pressure from over 7,000 anti-gambling activists. Paul Ciobanu, a prominent campaigner, told Digit24: "We were very happy because it is easier to convince a city hall than a government to legislate." He added that the movement began with "Iași – Say no to the scoundrels" and later inspired 170 other local campaigns. Activists believe the closures will bolster efforts to combat problem gambling both locally and nationwide.

Broader Safer Gambling Push

The move comes amid intensifying debate around safer gambling in Romania. The government faces repeated calls to strengthen self-exclusion programmes and raise the minimum gambling age. Meanwhile, authorities have stepped up enforcement against the black market, recently designating prediction-markets platform Polymarket as an unlicensed gambling offer and dismantling an affiliate network promoting numerous illegal gambling websites.