Bulgaria is considering a new financial measure that would restrict how much banks and other payment companies can retain from fees charged on gambling transactions, with any amount above the proposed threshold transferred to the state budget.
Under draft amendments to the Gambling Act, payment institutions, banks and electronic-money companies would be allowed to keep fees and commissions worth no more than 1.5% of the value of a gambling-related payment. The measure would cover both deposits made to participate in gambling and payments of winnings.
Any portion of a transaction fee exceeding the 1.5% limit would have to be paid to the Bulgarian state. For example, if a payment provider charged €30 to process a €1,000 gambling transaction, it could retain €15 while the remaining €15 would go to the state budget.
Payment providers would also face reporting requirements, including monthly declarations and obligations to maintain records covering the fees collected from gambling-related transactions. The framework is intended to give authorities a clearer view of revenue generated by companies processing payments for the gambling sector.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance said the wider Gambling Act reform is designed partly to increase state revenues from gambling while strengthening measures aimed at reducing gambling-related harm. The official consultation opened on 23 September and will run until 23 October 2026.
The payments proposal follows other changes that have increased the role of financial institutions in Bulgaria’s gambling enforcement system. Since 1 August 2026, the Gambling Act has prohibited banks, payment institutions and electronic-money companies from processing online gambling payments to or from operators that do not hold a valid Bulgarian licence, as well as businesses subject to certain regulatory suspension orders.
If the latest measure is adopted, payment companies could respond by lowering gambling transaction charges to or below the 1.5% threshold rather than surrendering excess revenue to the state. However, the draft does not specify that money collected through the mechanism would be reserved for problem-gambling programmes or another particular purpose.