Bulgaria introduced new rules for gambling affiliates on 1 August 2026. The regime applies to affiliates working with gambling operators licensed in the country. Affiliates must now pay a fixed annual fee of €6,000, plus 10 per cent of the commission they earn from performance-based deals. The changes were made through amendments to the Gambling Act, introduced through Bulgaria’s 2026 State Budget Act and published in the State Gazette.
 

Affiliates brought into the licensing system

The amendments recognise gambling affiliate activity as a regulated activity under Bulgarian law. Both Bulgarian and foreign individuals and companies can operate as gambling affiliates, but they may only promote operators holding a valid Bulgarian gambling licence.

Foreign affiliates applying for a licence must appoint an authorised representative with an address in Bulgaria. The representative must have the authority to enter into contracts on behalf of the affiliate and represent it before Bulgarian state bodies and courts.

The law also requires affiliates to disclose the channels they use to promote gambling. These can include websites, mobile applications, social media profiles, and video or streaming platforms. Affiliate activity must also comply with Bulgaria’s existing restrictions on gambling advertising.

The legislation covers businesses or individuals who promote gambling under agreements in which payment depends on measurable results. These can include the number of players acquired, deposits, bets, or other performance indicators linked to the affiliate’s marketing activity.

This means the rules are aimed specifically at performance-based affiliate arrangements. Traditional advertising, media, and technical service providers are excluded where their payment is not linked to this type of result. The distinction is important for the wider marketing sector. A company selling advertising space for a fixed fee, for example, would not automatically be treated as a gambling affiliate simply because it works with a licensed operator.
 

New two-part state fee

Article 30a of the amended Gambling Act introduces what Bulgarian lawmakers describe as a “two-component state fee”. The first part is a fixed annual fee of €6,000. Affiliates must normally pay this by 31 March each year. A business that receives its licence after that date must pay the fee before receiving its licence certificate.

The second part is a variable fee equal to 10% of the affiliate’s performance-linked commission. Unlike the annual fee, this amount is withheld and paid by the licensed gambling operator that pays the affiliate. Operators must submit a monthly declaration to Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency showing the basis used to calculate the fee and the amount due. The variable fee can rise to 20% where a sham transaction is used to conceal performance-linked commission.

Affiliates that already had agreements with licensed operators on 1 August were required to apply for a licence by 15 August 2026. Those agreements were allowed to remain in force while the licence applications were being processed. The Finance Minister must also approve the forms required for some of the new reporting obligations by 30 September 2026.
 

Bulgaria targets stronger tax collection

The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance said the new rules are aimed at increasing tax revenue and making it harder for companies to avoid paying what they owe. The measures are part of a wider push to tighten rules across the gambling sector. This includes action against illegal operators and measures to block payments to and from unlicensed gambling operators.

For affiliates, the change goes beyond an additional cost. Bulgaria has created a formal regulatory category for performance-based gambling marketing, with licensing, reporting, and ongoing fee obligations now forming part of operating in the market. This move also draws a clearer line between traditional advertising services and affiliate models that rely on player acquisition and other performance metrics.

 

 

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