Bulgaria is not a wealthy state, but gambling is developing there very quickly. The number of licenses for opening new casinos increases each year, and due to that, the number of clients is growing constantly. Present legislation is favorable for the development of gambling business in Bulgaria, and casinos attract tourists from Ukraine, Russia, Israel, and Arab countries. A number of foreign players also seek deals such as 1xbet promotions to optimize their game experience during a visit or playing online while in Bulgaria.
LAND-BASED CASINOS
Bulgarian casinos start with the opening of the country's very first casino. It was not open to the locals and was designed for foreigners visiting Bulgaria. Things have improved a lot since then. Today, there are a few dozen casinos in Bulgaria, and they are accessible to visit by anyone. Bulgarian casino market is diverse. There are about a dozen big casinos that operate together with luxury hotels, and they are visited by foreigners mainly. Apart from this, there are many small casinos, which are favored by locals. Despite having only a few tables and a few slot machines (typically only 3 tables and a few slots), these mini-casinos are profitable.
Legal Regulations
The Bulgarian Gambling Act sets, among other things, the terms of casinos, their licensing regime, and how they are taxed. The Commission for Gambling Supervision in the Ministry of Finance issues licenses. Casinos, as set out in the law, cannot be opened within a 300-meter radius of schools and universities. Admission is limited to individuals above 18 years of age.
Where, When, and What to Play in Bulgarian Casinos?
More than 20 casinos, 800 gaming houses and 30 bingo houses operate in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Gambling Commission said. Some of the casinos have been located within luxury hotels but the majority are standalone. Most casinos are concentrated in the capital city of Sofia, but there are also numerous ones along the Greek and Turkish borders, especially in the city of Svilengrad and the Black Sea coastal resort of Varna. American roulette, electronic roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and slot machines are available to play in Bulgarian casinos. Most of the bigger casinos are open 24/7 all year round.
Land-Based Casino Cities: Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Svilengrad, Burgas
ONLINE CASINOS
Online casinos in Bulgaria are not common, but their frequency is rising yearly. Considering that online gambling has been legal in Bulgaria, the phenomenon is very organic. Tax policy also is important. The present 15% turnover tax was substituted by a 20% profit tax, which is more desirable and encourages the opening of new internet casinos. In order to obtain permission to operate an internet casino in Bulgaria, the firm needs to have a local subsidiary, a minimum of five years' background in casino business, and deposit €50,000 when applying for the license.
Most Bulgarian players play at foreign online casinos that have their sites translated into Bulgarian.
There exists a so-called "blacklist" of casino sites that don't comply with current regulations in Bulgaria. The list has more than 2,000 addresses now. Online casinos that are legal in Bulgaria have Bulgarian and English versions of their sites. Bets are taken in Bulgarian lev, euros, or US dollars.
Legal Regulations
Online gaming in Bulgaria is legal. The Bulgarian Gaming Commission officially acknowledged the international association eCOGRA as the organization that will monitor online casinos in Bulgaria. Operators interested in entering the market of Bulgarian online casinos must receive a positive opinion from eCOGRA in advance. They can only be issued a license and may legally operate afterwards.
INTERESTING FACTS
- Bulgaria – The Gambling Mecca of Southeast Europe
Both land-based gambling and internet gambling has been legalized in Bulgaria for decades, which attracts not only Bulgarians but also foreign tourists to visit casinos. Casinos are very restricted in access in neighboring countries of Ukraine, Greece, or Russia, and in Turkey, gambling is completely banned. Due to this reason, citizens of these countries are visiting Bulgarian casinos more frequently. Most frequently, the citizens of Arab nations visit Bulgarian casinos, and, as gambling was banned in 2009 in the core Russian and Ukrainian cities, investors from both countries started investing in the Bulgarian gaming market, building casinos on the Black Sea. Political Views and Casinos in Bulgaria - Bulgarian casinos were off-limits to those from communist states. Those of communist countries (such as Bulgaria) were denied access to the country casinos. Only those foreign tourists from beyond communist states could enter them. The restriction came to an end when Bulgaria peacefully opened up incrementally. New casino admission based on nationality is now accessible, and access is free to those who are at least 18 years of age.
Who Uses Online Casinos the Most? - The Bulgarian online casino market is slowly growing and becoming popular among Bulgarians. According to the research of online gamblers, it is known that the typical Bulgarian online gambler is a male aged between 25-44 years and earns less than €18,000 annually.
