The government has shifted the decision regarding the operation of gambling halls to local authorities, and the first reactions have already emerged. In Slatina, the mayor announces a total ban on „slot machines,” while in Miercurea-Ciuc, the local administration is preparing a public debate to decide whether and where such activities will still be allowed.
The changes were adopted through the emergency ordinance on public administration and alter the rules for the organization and exploitation of gambling, within a broader decentralization package.
What the ordinance changes
According to the new provisions, licensed operators will no longer be able to rely solely on the national license issued by the National Office for Gambling (ONJN), but will be required to also obtain an operating permit from the local town hall where they conduct their activities.
Local councils will decide, by resolution, whether gambling activities can operate on the territory of the administrative-territorial unit. Additionally:
- an annual local tax is introduced, determined by each local council;
- spaces designated for gambling must be authorized based on local policies;
- operators are required to inform local authorities before starting their activities.
For operators who already have a valid authorization from the ONJN, the new rules regarding local authorization will apply upon expiration of the existing authorization, and the annual local tax will be due after that moment.
“Slatina will be the first city free of slot machines”
The mayor of Slatina, Mario De Mezzo, announced that he will initiate a "resolution project to ban gambling activities within the municipality in the first session of the Local Council" immediately after the ordinance is published in the Official Gazette.
“Slatina will be the first city free of slot machines. (…) I will propose the removal of all gambling halls and slot machines from the municipality of Slatina. No slot machine will operate in the municipality of Slatina. None. No! All slot machines that have harmed an entire country will be out of Slatina,” the mayor conveyed in a message posted on Facebook.
He explained to Agerpres that the removal will be gradual as existing authorizations expire, with the new legal framework allowing the local administration to decide whether to issue operating permits.
The mayor specified that an analysis is currently being conducted on the revenues from taxes and fees related to these activities, emphasizing that "public interest, community health, and family protection take priority."
In his message, Mario De Mezzo also mentioned a dramatic case from his time as prefect: “How much is a life worth? How much is the life of a 27-year-old child (…) who committed suicide after losing at slot machines. For me, these lives are priceless. The city's health is more important to me, and slot machines will be permanently removed from Slatina.”
Miercurea-Ciuc: ban in neighborhoods, decision after consultations
In Miercurea-Ciuc, the approach is more nuanced. Mayor Korodi Attila stated to Agerpres that the administration's position is clear regarding residential neighborhoods, where such activities are expected to be excluded.
However, for service areas located away from residential neighborhoods, authorities will hold a public debate before making a final decision.
“The law is very good. We were expecting it. (…) We will have a public debate,” said Korodi Attila, mentioning that interested parties and civil society representatives will also be consulted in the Local Council.