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Bulgaria has approved a new regulatory framework that will require gambling affiliates operating on a performance-based commission model to obtain a licence before promoting licensed gambling operators.
The changes, introduced through amendments to the country’s Gambling Act, take effect from 1 September 2026. However, affiliates already active in the Bulgarian market must submit their licence applications by 15 August if they wish to continue operating without interruption.
The new regime captures affiliates that receive remuneration linked to agreed performance indicators, including the number of players referred, deposits made, bets placed or gambling revenue generated.
Under the legislation, affiliates will only be permitted to promote licensed gambling operators, reinforcing Bulgaria’s long-standing principle that only licensed gambling activity may be advertised within the country.
The licensing framework introduces both fixed and variable fees. Affiliates will pay an annual licence maintenance fee of approximately €6,000, while gambling operators will be required to withhold and remit an additional fee equivalent to 10 per cent of the affiliate’s performance-based remuneration to the National Revenue Agency (NRA).
The reforms also bring affiliates directly within Bulgaria’s gambling advertising regime for the first time. Licensed affiliates will be required to comply with the same advertising restrictions applicable to gambling operators, with dedicated sanctions introduced for breaches.
As part of the licensing process, affiliates must declare all websites, mobile applications, social media accounts and video streaming channels they intend to use for gambling promotion. The NRA will also gain powers to block websites, mobile apps and social media pages operated by unlicensed affiliates.
The measures place additional compliance responsibilities on licensed operators, which will need to ensure their affiliate partners are appropriately licensed and that marketing relationships comply with the revised legislation before the new regime comes into force.
The introduction of a dedicated licensing framework marks a significant shift in Bulgaria’s approach to affiliate marketing, moving the sector from a largely indirect regulatory model to one in which affiliates become directly supervised participants within the gambling regulatory system. It also reflects a broader trend among European regulators to bring affiliate marketing under closer regulatory oversight as concerns grow over consumer protection, advertising standards and the promotion of unlicensed gambling services.
