Bulgaria’s draft rule sends payment fees above 1.5% to the treasury

The draft law forces banks & e-money firms to hand any fee above 1.5% on gambling deposits or payouts straight to the state.

The hit

Bulgaria has drafted a rule that stops banks & e-money firms keeping more than 1.5% in fees on gambling deposits & payouts, according to SBC News. Anything charged above that cap on the fee for accepting gambling stakes or paying out winnings goes straight into the state budget. The move targets payment infrastructure rather than gambling operators themselves.

Why it matters

This hits the plumbing of gambling, not the casinos. Payment providers currently charge premium fees for gambling transactions because gambling payments are considered high-risk in Bulgaria. Capping that margin could lower costs for players making deposits or cashing out, while diverting the difference into state coffers, though there’s no confirmed plan yet to ring-fence that money for problem gambling support.

The record

Fee cap proposed	1.5% of transaction value (Bulgarian draft law)
Example excess charge	€15 diverted to state budget on a €30 fee for a €1,000 deposit
Compliance duty	Mandatory monthly declarations & record-keeping for payment providers

What happens next

The consultation on the draft closes on 23 October. Payment providers, banks & e-money firms operating in Bulgaria’s gambling sector should watch for the final text & any guidance on how excess fees will be collected.

Sources: Bulgaria targets gambling payments with novel EU rule

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