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Romania’s Outspoken Regulator Approaches a Year in the Job

Published

3 months ago

April 7, 2026

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It is now almost a year since crusading regulator Vlad-Cristian Soare took over as the head of Romania’s gambling authority and he shows little sign of slowing down.

After public and institutional trust in the National Office for Gambling (ONJN) collapsed, April 2025 saw Soare inherit an authority in freefall.

Public prosecutors found in early 2025 that over several years the regulator had allowed almost €1bn in fees to go unpaid, depriving the government of huge volumes of income it should have been extracting from the gambling industry.

With its reputation at rock-bottom, Soare arrived at ONJN with the grim knowledge that the agency might not even survive.

Numerous reports suggested that the government saw the regulator as a lost cause and that its functions would soon be folded back into the Ministry of Finance.

While the jury is still out on whether Soare has succeeded in rehabilitating the ONJN, he has at the very least managed to avoid its total destruction in the intervening 12 months.

Making moves

Soare says he is committed to reform and among his flagship policies is establishing Romania’s first industry-wide self-exclusion system.

In a potentially radical move, Soare has also called for a complete overhaul of the country’s gambling law, which he termed “morally outdated”.

“Mr. Soare has had a noticeably more active and visible start than several of his predecessors,” said Cosmina Maria Simion, managing parter at law firm WH Simion & Partners.

“From the outside, he appears to understand both the politics of the sector and the industry mechanics, which matters because one of the historical criticisms of the regulator was that it was either too passive, too politicised or too disconnected from how the market actually works,” she told EE Gaming.

Romania was formerly seen as one of Europe’s prime examples of a successful, modern online gambling market. The nation was among the first to directly authorise affiliates and require suppliers to be licensed.

That positive perception has changed, however, due to the gambling industry’s spiralling political fortunes, efforts by lawmakers to tighten rules and the collapse of trust in the ONJN.

Tough new measures introduced over the past few months include regulations making it illegal for suppliers to sell their content to providers who offer gambling into Romania without a licence.

The new government also hiked tax rates in its first post-election budget last year, raising online levies from 21 percent to 30 percent of gross gambling revenue (GGR) and adding a variable tax on winnings.

Soare’s calls to update the 2009 Gambling Act reflect a genuine feeling that new legisation is needed to deal with an industry that has evolved rapidly in the past two decades,

“We need a coherent, modern and efficient framework,” Soare said in a document laying out his 2026 priorities.

But he has also made it clear that he is motivated in part by the sheer volume of legislative proposals related to gambling that are flooding parliament.

A new act would ideally quieten a noisy political landscape in which consistent regulation is difficult, when lawmakers are constantly threatening to re-write the rulebook.

Zoltan Tuendik, Co-Founder and Head of Business at HIPTHER, which operates EE Gaming, has cautious optimism in Soare’s project.

“The past year has underscored both the fragility and resilience of Romania’s regulatory framework,” he said.

“The actions led by Vlad-Cristian Soare reflect a clear effort to restore credibility and reassert control over a market that had drifted into uncertainty.

“At the same time, these reforms are unfolding in a political climate where gambling has become a convenient target for public positioning, increasing the risk of policy being shaped as much by perception as by long-term strategy.”

Meet them head on

Part of Soare’s strategy to rebuild trust in the ONJN has been to engage in public forums with stakeholders and critics of Romanian gambling policy.

In the past few days, for example, he took to LinkedIn to celebrate an “important” victory over predictions giant Polymarket.

ONJN had previously taken enforcement action against the operator for offering illegal gambling in Romania through its event contract trading platform and Romanian courts rejected an appeal of that ruling.

Allowing Polymarket to continue trading would have opened the floodgates to a torrent of gambling operators seeking to dodge taxes and responsible gambling requirements by reclassifying themselves as prediction platforms, he said.

“The real stakes were to protect the legal framework that regulates gambling and prevent a dangerous loophole,” Soare added.

But the post also reveals his willingness to engage and mollify his critics. An approach that is unusual among top regulators.

Soare responded to one commenter on his Polymarket LinkedIn post who argued that it would be trivial for Romanians to continue accessing Polymarket via a VPN.

In response, regulator said that Polymarket was guilty of a “double standard” by not applying for a licence and that the ONJN was working on technology to restrict the ability of the gambling black market to operate in Romania.

Time will tell

With ONJN facing the axe mere months after he took office, Vlad-Cristian Soare’s decision to be more public and more personal than his predecessors may have been motivated by necessity as much as strategy.

Simion noted that the regulator still faces structural challenges, such as limited administrative capacity and inconsistent bureaucracy, while having to navigate significant political pressure and a gambling law that has become “increasingly fragmented after years of piecemeal amendments”. Despite this, she too is “cautiously positive” about the trajectory of Soare’s leadership.

“Rebuilding the market will depend not only on enforcement, but on restoring predictability and balance,” added Tuendik.

“As legislative changes take shape, the key challenge will be ensuring that player protection, enforcement and market attractiveness evolve together, rather than allowing the industry to be disproportionately constrained for short-term political gain.”

For now, the ONJN president has at least kept his ailing regulator afloat for a full year, keeping alive the hope of more widespread reforms.

The post Romania’s Outspoken Regulator Approaches a Year in the Job appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Artificial Intelligence

Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil

Published

6 minutes ago

July 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Integration adds Pix, account validation, fraud controls and compliance tools for operators targeting Brazil’s regulated betting market.

Pay4Fun has integrated its financial infrastructure with Betconstruct AI’s platform in Brazil, giving operators connected to the ecosystem access to payments and compliance tooling built for the country’s regulated betting market.

Pay4Fun said Betconstruct AI clients will be able to use Pix payment processing, account ownership validation, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention, and compliance tools aligned with Brazil’s regulatory requirements.

According to Leonardo Baptista, CEO and Co-Founder of Pay4Fun, regulation is pushing operators to look beyond basic processing. “The Brazilian market has entered a new phase of maturity. Today, operators require solutions that go far beyond payment processing. They need partners capable of delivering security, compliance, and operational efficiency in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment. By integrating our solutions with Betconstruct AI, we are expanding access to a financial infrastructure specifically designed to meet the needs of the Brazilian market.”

Betconstruct AI said the integration strengthens its Brazil-facing offer for clients operating in the country or planning entry. “Pay4Fun was selected based on the expertise and industry knowledge the company has built within the Brazilian betting market. As the industry continues to evolve, the importance of working with specialized partners capable of delivering security, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance continues to grow,” said Beatriz Lopes, the Brazil Regional Director.

Pay4Fun said it was the first payment institution serving the betting industry to receive authorization from the Central Bank of Brazil, and that the company’s infrastructure combines monitoring, identity verification, fraud and anti-money laundering controls, and compliance processes tailored to regulated iGaming operations.

The post Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Artificial Intelligence

BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan

Published

7 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Eighth Harmony edition runs July 8–9 and spotlights ADI Predictstreet collaboration ahead of the FIFA World Cup Final.

BetConstruct AI held its Harmony Predictstreet event on July 8–9, 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, bringing together more than 300 guests for two days of networking and company updates.

The eighth edition introduced the “Predictstreet” branding to reflect BetConstruct AI’s strategic collaboration with ADI Predictstreet, described in the release as “FIFA’s Official Prediction Market Partner.” BetConstruct AI said the partnership includes integrating ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market solutions and official match streaming rights into its platform, timed for “the most important commercial moment in the four-year sports calendar, with the FIFA World Cup Final just days away.”

Day 1 was hosted at Garni Temple for an evening reception, including a live performance by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, a mapping show and music from DJ Leblanc.

Day 2 began at SoftConstruct headquarters with an office tour and networking session, before moving to Dvin Music Hall for the Harmony Predictstreet Gala Dinner. BetConstruct AI said founders and executive leadership presented updates on Eventbook, the ADI Predictstreet partnership, Betting Mate, The Last Battle Universe, Betbuilder & Powerbank, Softgates, and “the latest updates driving Vivaro.me and Open Stake forward.”

The company positioned the event as a forum for discussing future direction across its ecosystem, and confirmed plans to continue the series with a ninth edition.

The post BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

ESPN Networks

THE 57th ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER® CONCLUDES AN EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND ELITE COMPETITION

Published

7 hours ago

July 17, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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This summer’s event also saw huge growth in reach and engagement across WSOP’s social media channels, with over 378 million views

With 51 days of thrilling, high-stakes competition in the bag, the 57th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP®) at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas officially concluded its summer tournament schedule on July 15, 2026. Featuring a massive slate of 100 live gold bracelet events, this year’s festival once again demonstrated the unparalleled scale, passion, and global community of live tournament poker.

“The 57th annual World Series of Poker proved that Las Vegas remains the undisputed epicenter of the poker universe,” said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the WSOP. “The energy inside Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was nothing short of electric. What is truly remarkable this year is how our community expanded far beyond the physical walls of the casino floor. Through our newly redesigned final table arena, extensive linear broadcast schedule, and unprecedented digital engagement, we brought the drama, excitement, and glory of winning a WSOP gold bracelet to millions of new fans worldwide. We are incredibly proud of this summer’s success and cannot wait to witness the Final Nine battle for the World Championship on ESPN next month.”

Redefining the Live Experience on Poker’s Biggest Stage

Throughout the summer, the Las Vegas Strip was the focal point of the poker world as players from around the globe competed for poker’s ultimate prize: a WSOP gold bracelet and a place in poker history.

Key milestones from the summer tournament action include:

Colossal Main Event Field: The legendary $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (the ‘Main Event’) attracted a massive field of 9,208 entrants, creating a colossal prize pool and proving the enduring allure of the world’s premier freezeout tournament
The New Final Table Arena: WSOP officially unveiled a completely redesigned, state-of-the-art Final Table Arena and broadcast environment. The new stage integrates advanced lighting and large-scale digital displays to elevate the presentation of poker’s most prestigious final tables
Historic Broadcast Expansion: Live coverage of the Main Event returned to ESPN alongside a new multi-year broadcast agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to distribute coverage across HBO Max, Eurosport, and TNT Sports globally
The “Final Nine”: The final nine players survived a grueling field to punch their ticket to the historic Main Event Final Table. They will return to Las Vegas from August 3 to 5, 2026, to play down to a champion live on ESPN
Summer of Superstars: This year’s event saw an unprecedented number of bracelets won by poker luminaries with impressive records in the game’s history books; Daniel Negreanu won his eight WSOP bracelet by taking down Event #76 $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha for over $2.2M, while reigning WSOP Main Event champion Michael ‘The Grinder’ Mizrachi further burnished his reputation by winning Event #70 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, claiming his ninth WSOP bracelet and a $1.35M prize. The poker world’s undisputed power couple Kristen and Alex Foxen also made history by each claiming a WSOP bracelet in 2026, taking down Event #19 $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em and Event #44 $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em, respectively
Seamless Player Experience: The WSOP Live mobile app continued to enhance the playing experience, streamlining registration, virtually eliminating cage lines, and providing real-time seat alerts to thousands of players throughout the summer

WSOP 2026 By The Numbers

251,899 entries – a new record for the total number of entries in a single WSOP series
$469,975,059 – total 2026 WSOP gold events prize amount
35,157 places paid
22,811 entries to Event #63 $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold’em – the biggest field in the 2026 series, the largest Mystery Millions event, and the largest $1,000 event in live tournament poker history
1,368 entries to Event #68 $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship – the largest Ladies event in live tournament poker history
11,933 entries to Event #18 $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em – the largest Monster Stack event in live tournament poker history
4,764 entries to Event #87 $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha – the largest Pot-Limit Omaha event in live tournament poker history
12,560 entries to Event #72 $1,000 Mini Main Event – the largest Mini Main event in live tournament poker history
41 – The number of $1M+ prizes won across the 2026 series
57 events exceeded $2+ million prize pools – equalling last year’s record
8 events exceeded $10+ million prize pools
149 – number of countries represented in the WSOP 2026 playing field
Top Ten Countries by WSOP 2026 participants: 1 – United States, 2 – Canada, 3 – France, 4 – Great Britain, 5 – Japan, 6 – China, 7 – Israel, 8 – Germany, 9 – Brazil, 10 – Mexico
111 – number of countries represented in the WSOP Main Event 2026 playing field, a new record
Oldest Player – Merle Vangieson, born June 28, 1931
Youngest Player – Easton Jorgensen, born July 13, 2005

Worldwide Broadcasts Drive Growth Of Game

With thrilling WSOP action broadcast exclusively on ESPN Networks, Eurosport, TNT Sports, Abema Japan, Groupe M6 in France, and other media partners, poker fans had more opportunities than ever to follow their heroes, new and old, at the felt in 2026.

Comprehensive linear and digital coverage, available in more than 300 million homes across 70+ countries, ensured that countless big moments – from calculated bluffs to cunning value bets – were analyzed and enjoyed by enthusiasts on every continent.

Edited WSOP broadcasts will air from July 21, allowing a worldwide audience to catch up on all the summer’s action.

Explosive Digital Reach: WSOP’s Social Media Footprint

A highlight of the 57th annual WSOP was its unprecedented digital growth. While fans packed the physical tournament rooms, millions more watched the action unfold online. Across all major platforms, WSOP social media channels generated an astronomical 378.3 million total views during the 100-bracelet series, adding 222,828 total new followers across its digital ecosystem.

WSOP 2026 Social Media Performance

Platform	Total Views/Impressions	New Audience Growth
YouTube	38.7 million views	103,128 new subscribers
Instagram	125 million views	54,450 new followers
Facebook	127 million views	56,800 new followers
X	36.6 million impressions	8,450 new followers

Looking Ahead: A True Global Season

While the Main Event action in Las Vegas has paused until the Final Table resumes in August, the WSOP excitement continues year-round. This year marks the formal rollout of the ambitious, revamped $1 Million Global Player of the Year (POY) race. The new global leaderboard unifies the brand’s three flagship festival pillars: WSOP Europe (which completed its historic run in Prague earlier this spring), the Las Vegas summer series, and the upcoming WSOP Paradise winter festival.

The global POY winner will be crowned at the conclusion of WSOP Paradise, hosted at Baha Mar resort in The Bahamas from December 1 to 17, 2026. In the meantime, the WSOP Circuit (WSOP-C) continues its action-packed year, including a special concurrent Circuit run in Las Vegas from July 14 to 25, 2026.

Players should follow @WSOP on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram or check WSOP.com for more news and updates on WSOP events.

The post THE 57th ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER® CONCLUDES AN EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND ELITE COMPETITION appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.