Gambling Tax Hikes Looms as Bulgaria Considers 2026 Budget

Bulgaria’s financial sector has been rocked by plans for tax hikes. Among other things, officials have been considering raising the gambling tax by 5%.

Tax Hike Is on the Table

Bulgaria’s medium-term budget forecast for 2026-2028 has outlined certain changes to the Eastern European country’s Gambling Act. The amendments will see the country’s gambling tax increase noticeably, reaching 25%. The tax applies to multiple forms of gaming, including iGaming, lotteries, bingo, raffles, toto, and keno.

For context, operators are currently required to pay a one-time licensing fee of BGN 300K ($177K), as well as a 20% fee on the difference between betting handle and player winnings.

If approved, the changes will come into effect on January 1, 2026. Supporters of the measure say that it would generate an additional $37 million in tax revenue. According to the Ministry of Finance, this extra money will support a variety of social and economic developments.  

The tax hike follows an earlier proposal that sought to increase the gambling tax to 30%. That proposal, however, was ultimately rejected.

In any case, Bulgaria isn’t the only country that has been considering higher taxes on gaming. The UK has been discussing similar measures for a few months now, despite protests from the industry. Opponents have insisted that higher taxes would make legal gambling less competitive, while empowering black market operators.

Bulgaria Considers Banning Social Media for Under-15s

In other news, Bulgarian politicians recently explored the idea of banning social media platforms for users under 15. Proponents of this drastic measure argued that such networks have an adverse effect on the mental health of younger users and that excessive usage can lead to addiction.

Kostadin Angelov, chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee, compared the damage caused by social media to gambling addiction, emphasizing that younger people are particularly impressionable and vulnerable.