Key Highlights
- The Romanian gaming authority ONJN has allocated €5 million in grants to combat gambling addiction through its “Conscious and Free” initiative
- Approximately €3.6 million will support prevention campaigns, educational programs, counseling services, treatment initiatives, and responsible gaming promotion
- A dedicated €1.2 million fund will support construction and expansion of specialized treatment centers for gambling addiction
- Applications are due by May 11, with approved programs launching August 3 and concluding by December 2026
- This represents ONJN’s inaugural public investment in problem gambling intervention programs
Romania’s gambling oversight body, ONJN, has announced a groundbreaking €5 million grant initiative designed to combat problem gambling across the nation.
The financial commitment is part of the “Conscious and Free” national initiative, which received official approval from ONJN in December 2025. Details of the program were made public through an official notice in Romania’s governmental gazette.
These grants will be provided as non-reimbursable funds exclusively to nonprofit entities. The entire allocation comes from ONJN’s approved 2026 operational budget.
ONJN has organized the funding into three distinct categories. The primary allocation of €3.6 million will support multiple initiatives including public awareness campaigns, educational outreach, counseling services, treatment programs, academic research, digital innovation, youth protection measures, and responsible gaming advocacy.
An additional €1.2 million has been set aside specifically for developing or enhancing dedicated treatment facilities for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. This funding stream is exclusively available to government institutions.
Submission Deadlines and Evaluation Framework
The final €200,000 will finance research projects and impact assessments aimed at informing future policy decisions and intervention frameworks.
Interested organizations must complete their submissions by May 11. ONJN plans to release eligibility determinations on May 15, with a brief three-day period from May 18 through May 20 for applicants to submit appeals.
Final eligibility decisions and appeal resolutions are scheduled between May 21 and May 26. A designated Evaluation Commission will subsequently assess all proposals and announce its determinations on July 8.
Contestations of preliminary findings must be filed by July 13. Final decisions will be announced on July 28, with formal agreements executed between July 29 and July 31.
ONJN has designated August 3 as the launch date for selected projects. All funded programs must conclude operations by December 2026, providing approximately four months for implementation.
Regulatory Chief Hails Landmark Initiative
ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare characterized the initiative as unprecedented for the regulatory agency. He confirmed this marks the organization’s first financial commitment to programs of this nature.
Soare recognized the significant coordination needed to establish the grant program. He credited successful partnerships among ONJN, the Finance Ministry, and UEFISCDI as instrumental in launching the initiative.
Per Soare’s account, implementation required legislative modifications, restructuring of ONJN’s responsible gaming division, and developing comprehensive legal infrastructure to administer the grants. Two executive orders were enacted to formalize the methodology and application requirements.
He stressed that the established regulatory framework now enables sustainable funding for subsequent years.
Romania’s gambling sector has experienced substantial expansion recently, with problem gambling emerging as an increasing public health concern. The “Conscious and Free” initiative represents the nation’s most substantial public funding commitment addressing this issue to date.
Nonprofit organizations must submit their applications by the May 11, 2026 deadline.
