TLDR Romania’s Emergency Ordinance 7/2026 gives local councils power over gambling licensing starting in February 2026. Many Superbet shop licenses expired on August 31, forcing changes on September 1. Superbet created a new “Home of Superliga” format that bans betting slips and slot machines but still handles online account deposits. A September 1 count found Superbet’s network split into four different shop types across Romania. A separate report found mismatched records in Romania’s gambling database, with some machines showing conflicting statuses.
Romania’s gambling industry faced a change on September 1. Superbet, one of the country’s largest bookmakers, altered how many of its shops operate.
The change came from a law that gives local governments control over gambling within their towns.
A New Law Shifts Power to Local Councils
Emergency Ordinance 7/2026 passed in February. It let city councils decide whether gambling can happen in their area at all.
Councils can now set rules on where shops operate. They can also charge a local fee based on the size of each location.
Before this law, a national gambling license was enough to run a shop anywhere in Romania. That is no longer the case.
Older licenses were given some protection at first. Many of them expired on August 31, which made September 1 an important date for the industry.
Betting Shops Without Betting
Superbet responded by creating a new type of location called Home of Superliga.
These shops cannot take betting slips. They also cannot run slot machines.
Superbet describes the locations as places where football fans can gather to watch matches.
The shops still play a role in the gambling business though. Customers can deposit and withdraw money from their online Superbet and Napoleon accounts inside these locations.
Staff can help customers set up online accounts. They