site.btaBetting Industry Is Growing in Bulgaria - Head of Association of the Gaming Industry in Bulgaria

The number of sports betting outlets is growing, while the online industry is also developing rapidly, Angel Iribozov, Chair of the Board of the Association of the Gaming Industry in Bulgaria (AGIB), said at the opening of the 15th Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Exhibition and the accompanying Eastern European Gaming Summit here on Wednesday. The two-day event has brought together exhibitors from Europe, North America and Asia to the capital's Inter Expo Center.

Iribozov reported that revenues generated by the gaming industry in the state budget for 2023 amounted to BGN 362 million, up 11% from the previous year, when they amounted to BGN 327 million.

Nearly BGN 380 million went to the state budget over the first three quarters of 2024, which Iribozov attributed to the increased taxes.

The AGIB reported a rise in registered online promoters by seven to 23 by the end of last year. Licensed types of online gaming also rose by 10 to 45 by December 2024. By September 2024, there were 24 registered organizers, with 46 licences issued to organize online games.

The Association reported an increase of 100 new gaming halls to a total of 1,117 at the end of 2023. That number fell slightly to 1,098 by the end of September 2024. Another 20 casinos also operated at the end of September.

The AGIB labelled the November 2023 - November 2024 period as "dynamic" for the gaming industry in Bulgaria from a regulatory standpoint.