On September 6, 2026, members of Bulgaria’s centrist political party We Continue the Change formally submitted a bill to the National Assembly seeking a complete, blanket ban on gambling advertising across all media formats and public spaces. Submitted by key figures including party chairman Assen Vassilev and MP Venko Sabrutev, the draft legislation aims to close pervasive statutory loopholes left behind by the country's sweeping 2024 Gambling Act reforms. Despite previous marketing restrictions, recent high-profile events—such as national television coverage of the World Cup heavily featuring commercial betting franchises—sparked intense public backlash, motivating the latest legislative push.

Closing Loopholes: Sponsorships, Product Placement, and Media Content

The proposed bill addresses subtle marketing channels that licensed operators have utilized following initial 2024 restrictions:

Sponsorship & Naming Rights: Under current practice, operators heavily brand top-tier athletic competitions—including the Efbet League, MrBit Second League, and Sesame Cup—bypassing traditional ad bans by attaching operator names directly to sports leagues. The new bill seeks to classify league naming rights and product placement as illegal marketing.

Public Infrastructure Bans: The proposal extends outdoor advertising bans to include billboards, electronic displays, public transport stops, building facades, and branded commercial vehicles.

Restricted Exceptions: Narrow exceptions are reserved exclusively for state-run Bulgarian Sports Totalizator draw broadcasts, limited facade branding on licensed physical gambling venues, and sports uniform logos restricted to a maximum size of 10x10cm on adult-only kits.

Harm Messaging Standards: Any permitted marketing material must feature a mandatory responsible gambling warning—"GAMBLING CARRIES A RISK OF DEVELOPING ADDICTION"—occupying no less than 10 percent of the ad surface, formatted explicitly in black lettering against a white background to prevent camouflage tactics.

Enforcement Powers, Heavy Fines, and Potential EU-Wide Push

To enforce the proposed ban, the bill equips the National Revenue Agency (NAP) with authority to order the immediate removal of illegal advertising and temporarily suspend access to non-compliant online advertising services. Violations would carry severe financial penalties ranging from €75,000 to €150,000, levying joint liability on both gambling operators and content distributors. Furthermore, Assen Vassilev confirmed that party members are engaging European lawmakers to push for an EU-wide ban prohibiting social media giants like Meta and Google from displaying gambling advertisements to users situated within Member States.

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