The Romanian ONJN (Oficiul National pentru Jocuri de Noroc, or National Gambling Office) has kick-started the compliance process in Romania by awarding Class 2 licenses to two certification and auditing bodies. International gaming testing companies Gaming Laboratories International and NMi have both been awarded Class 2 gaming system licenses, while competitor BMM Test Labs has submitted an application.
“We would like to thank ONJN in awarding the first Class 2 license to GLI, and we wish them every success,” said Martin Britton, managing director of GLI Europe and Africa. “This will allow our clients to move forward in this regulated market, and we would be happy for suppliers and operators to contact GLI, as we have up-to-the-minute information about the Romanian regulation, along with all the various certification and audit requirements.
“We see Romania as a key regulated jurisdiction for suppliers and operators moving forward.
“Lending our global expertise is a vital service we provide in our role as an independent advisor in driving industry standards, providing a global approach to regulation to avoid reinventing the wheel. GLI has always provided standards across all products in the gaming arena, which are freely available on our website, to highlight the need for standardization.”
“We are delighted to have received our formal approval as a lab in Romania,” said Andrew Rosewarne, director of the gaming division of U.K.-based NMi, which also provides IT security certification. “Entry into this market has not been without its challenges; the NGO made a decision that they only want mature companies on a strong financial footing providing certification services in Romania, and the level of scrutiny has been high. We are fortunate to be that sort of company…
“NMi has been operating in highly regulated jurisdictions for years now with their corresponding investment costs. Our many loyal customers appreciate our level of service and breadth of coverage, and we are now in a position to provide straightforward transfers of approval to Romania.”
The Romanian gambling market is set to become one of the most dynamic and lucrative in Eastern Europe. With around 70,000 slot machines, 5,000 betting shops and several casinos already operating, and well-known gaming brands opening development offices in the country to take advantage of the upwardly mobile, technically competent workforce, consumer demand for online gaming in the country has never been higher.
The newly adopted legislation has already seen positive results for the state budget, due to the implementation of tighter controls of the land-based market; thousands of illegal slot machines have been removed, making licenses even more attractive to investors.
Gaming testing company BMM Testlabs announced that it is expanding into the Romanian gaming market, where it has applied for a lab certification license.
“It is very important to BMM that we maintain our full iGaming coverage in Europe to ensure that our clients have the most effective and efficient market entry process, hence this expansion into Romania,” said Kirk White, BMM’s executive vice president and general manager, international. “BMM is currently in the process of completing our Romanian license, and we expect to receive it very soon.”
“BMM has been servicing customers in the Romanian market for some time through our three European test labs,” added Marzia Turrini, BMM senior vice president, southern Europe and South America. “We are fully committed to gaining Class 2 licensure in the region. At this time we are completely able to meet our customers’ needs and encourage them to consult with us with regards to their requirements in Romania.”
“We are very pleased to see Romania take such positive legislative action to ensure that gaming is regulated and licensed,” said White. “We are also pleased to see that Romania has opened up the market to allow multiple test labs to be licensed, ensuring fair competition and choice of service for all manufacturers in the region.”
