Bulgaria Plans Dedicated Fund for Gambling Harm Programs
SOFIA, Bulgaria – Bulgaria’s Health Ministry has opened a draft regulation that would create a dedicated fund for gambling addiction prevention and treatment.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The proposal would give the country a more structured way to finance support services as officials respond to rising concern over gambling-related harm.
The draft rules set out how money will be planned, managed, and distributed for programs focused on therapy, prevention, and reducing gambling risks among younger people. The ministry said the aim is to build a stable financing mechanism rather than continue with a fragmented approach to gambling harm.
The proposal follows changes to Bulgaria’s Gambling Act in 2024, which introduced new social responsibility obligations for licensed operators. Under that system, annual operator contributions are collected by the National Revenue Agency and divided between the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The new regulation would create a formal process to ensure the health portion is used through a targeted and transparent fund.
Related: Bulgarian Parliament Rejects Proposal to Centralize Gambling Under State Control
Draft Rules Focus on Treatment, Prevention, and Accountability
Under the proposal, municipalities, hospitals, schools, public agencies, and non-governmental organizations would be able to apply for funding. The ministry said the system is designed to support long-term policies and measurable projects, rather than ad hoc activity.
The draft also sets clear limits on who can take part. Political parties, religious organizations, and entities with unresolved financial obligations to the state would be excluded. Commercial-style projects and one-off activities such as concerts or travel programs would also be ineligible, a sign that the ministry wants the money directed toward sustained treatment, education, and outreach work.
That matters because Bulgaria is trying to turn operator contributions into a more accountable public-health tool. Supporters of the measure say the value of the fund lies not just in the money itself, but in creating rules for how projects are selected, evaluated, and monitored over time.
More Responsible Gambling
Nearly 50,000 People Are Already on the Self-Exclusion Register
The ministry pointed to figures from the National Revenue Agency showing that nearly 50,000 people have voluntarily joined Bulgaria’s register for vulnerable individuals with restricted access to gambling. That number has become one of the clearest indicators used by officials to show the scale of the issue and the need for more consistent policy.
The draft does not add new financial burdens or fresh restrictions for gambling operators. Instead, it concentrates on prevention, education, and treatment, while using funding streams that were already created under last year’s legal changes.
Alongside the funding proposal, the ministry is also expanding public-facing support tools. Bulgaria’s eHealth mobile app now includes a dedicated section with information about gambling addiction, including warning signs, risks, and where people can seek help. The ministry said this is intended to make early intervention easier, especially for younger users who may not recognize harmful behavior at an early stage.
Public Consultation Is Now Underway
The regulation is now open for public consultation and may still be revised before it is finalized. Even so, the proposal marks a more serious attempt to treat gambling harm as a long-term health policy issue rather than a narrow regulatory side matter.
What happens next will depend on whether the final rules preserve the same focus on transparency, eligibility controls, and measurable outcomes. For now, Bulgaria is trying to build a permanent funding structure that can support treatment and prevention while protecting groups seen as most vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
RELATED TOPICS: Responsible Gambling
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