Online casinos accepting players from Bulgaria

The online gambling industry…

… has faced ups and downs over the years, mostly depending on the response it has received by authorities in the respective territories where it is present. After all, there is no denying the popularity of the practice as a whole – people have been betting on outcomes and playing games of luck and chance since the early days of civilization, and card games were invented by the ancient people living long before the Internet was even a concept.

Having this in mind…

… it is only expected that people with different backgrounds and national histories would not share the same attitude towards the matter. However, as things are progressing at a more rapid rate, it seems that the interest for the industry is growing, even in places that may have been considered less viable beforehand.

Bulgaria as a European country has generally managed to keep up with the general trends, and online gambling is definitely one of them. The government opened the country’s doors to local and international operators looking to cater to the player pool as early as 2008. Considering that this was about a decade since the first sites actually went live, the move was impressive and praiseworthy on its own.

However…

… what wasn’t as much of a glorifying fact is the set of terms that came along with this new policy. Operators were slightly put off from entering a new market where the industry was only starting to develop, but this wasn’t the main issue. What turned most companies off the idea of entering Bulgaria iGaming markets were the strict regulations and even harsher taxes. In other words, inexperience in a specific area has once again proven damaging to all parties involved.

Nevertheless…

… things have progressed greatly since then, with Bulgaria ultimately reaching the ranks of top popular online gambling jurisdictions. What is even healthier for the industry is the fact that it has been present since the days of land-based casinos, sportsbooks and the likes, so players have already been familiar with the forms of gambling when the Internet came along.

Nowadays, gambling enthusiasts and avid players from Bulgaria…

… are able to enjoy the full scope of gameplay action across all platforms and verticals. Regulations and benevolent market climate have largely contributed towards this effect, ultimately achieving optimal satisfaction across players, operators and authorities alike.

Best Online Casinos for Bulgarians

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Legal Online Gambling in Bulgaria

As said above, Bulgaria has quite a bit of turbulent history with the practice of gambling. It isn’t so much full of actual trouble as it was impeded by its own regulations, leaving little room for it to grow and develop.

As a matter of fact…

… the initial beginnings of the gambling establishments across the country’s territory were marked back in the distant 1979, when the first land-based casino Sofia was set up as part of the hotel with the same name, in the country’s capital Sofia. At that time, such businesses were set up in the same manner for the most part, and predominantly targeted hospitality facilities, seaside and mountain resorts and other attractive tourist locations. Not that gambling was prohibited for the locals, but they did shy away from such activities, mostly due to the lack of precise legislation on the matter.

This status of vague irregularity persisted throughout the latter half of the 20^th century, only to reach its conclusion back in 1993. At that time, the Bulgarian government changed their stance in regards to such practices, and ultimately finalized the process with an official Gaming Law of Bulgaria, passed five years later, in 1998.

Back then…

… online gambling was still coming to, and the government hadn’t prepared the proper legislation for the newly created situation. Offshore operators began making use of the situation, and accessed the unregulated marketplace, drawing in wagers without any benefit for the national parties involved. So, in 2012, the authorities passed the Act of Gambling 2012, allowing local operators to set up online platforms and provide their gambling content through such channels.

The State Commission on Gambling…

… was also established along with the regulations, acting as the authoritative body in charge of issuing licenses, maintaining compliance and following through respective procedures. With all this, the Bulgarian government still managed to run into major difficulties during the beginnings of the online industry. This was due to the extremely steep prices on taxes and licenses imposed on the local operators, as well as the strict regulations that they had to adhere to.

Suffice to say…

… acceptance on behalf of operators didn’t go smoothly and with reactions coming from the EU commission as well, the policies soon changed for the better. This was done with the help of amendments on key points, two of which referred to the operators and the tax fees that they were charged with. Afterwards, both local and international offshore operators were eligible to apply for licenses, which were set at a one-time charge of €51,127. Other than that, they additionally had to comply with security and other regulatory policies, and pay a 20% on all gross gambling revenues.

This helped appeal to a much wider pool of operators, ultimately boosting online gambling diversity in the country. Players gained a much greater selection of casinos and other gambling platforms to choose from, ultimately resulting in better odds, gameplay, and greater player satisfaction.

Still, the Bulgarian government…

… took into consideration the fact that some may take advantage of the newly created circumstances, and thus imposed restriction policies as well. More specifically, all rogue and illegal, unlicensed operators wishing to offer services to players in Bulgaria would be mandatorily blacklisted and banned access. This practice raised some red flags over the years, especially since many major brands found their place on the list, but the matter is better resolved nowadays, thanks to more precise and specific regulations.

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Bulgaria Online Casinos

At present…

… eager gambling enthusiasts and online casino players from Bulgaria have a range of options to choose from. With an established and highly regulated industry, they can enjoy gameplay at local and international casino sites, which means that they can get both dedicated, customized service, as well as globally renowned content at the same time.

All it takes is to choose from the options provided – and bear in mind, there is no concern about picking through the pile in order to find a reputable operator. Due to the presence of a national licensing body, all they need to do is check if the casino is approved and nothing more. Additionally, these establishments can hold licenses from other jurisdictions as well, including Curacao, Costa Rica and more.

Games at Bulgaria Online Casinos

Bulgaria is not only famous for its well-regulated and developed gameplay market, but also for their software developers. After all, there are several companies to date which are registered and operate out of their Bulgaria offices, including the likes of Casino Technology, as well as the founders of Felix Gaming.

Better yet, due to the increasing competition for a share of the marketplace, operators are further boosting their libraries and offering top-notch titles from leading providers. Nowadays, Bulgarian online casinos normally include all the following game categories:

Slots;
Blackjack;
Baccarat;
Roulette;
Table games;
Casino Hold’em;
3-Card Poker;
5-Card Poker;
Live dealer casino;
Keno;
Sic Bo;
Scratch cards;
Specialty games.

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Mobile Betting

According to the letter of the law…

… in Bulgaria, there is no fundamental distinction between online and land-based gambling. Hence, the same applies to mobile gambling on the go. Generally speaking, any action of placing a bet on an outcome without any previous knowledge of the outcome of the play is accepted as gambling.

In today’s modern times, this type of action is made available by most operators, who have either adapted their games to fit the smaller screens of the portable devices or developed fully dedicated apps. The former is usually achieved by implementing the HTML5 format during website development, which automatically optimizes visuals, mechanics and content across all devices.

The latter option normally provides a dedicated app for each of the top used operative systems. Hence, Android users can download the respective app on both their smartphones and tablets, while iPad users will need to get their respective version, as is the case with iPhone users as well.

Bulgaria Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods

Funds transfer…

… is one of the top concerns for players looking to gamble online. However, for players from Bulgaria, there are a whole system of legislative bodies and regulations making sure that their funds are protected at all times. Therefore, these individuals can choose to deposit and withdraw to and from their chosen online casino sites using a range of options:

Credit cards;
Debit cards;
E-wallets;
PayPal;
Prepaid cards (paysafecard);
Vouchers & other online processors.

In this regard, currency options are another useful consideration to have in mind. Assuming that the casinos are licensed and tailored for this specific market, you shouldn’t have any problem finding a site where you can use your preferred currency. And with the Euro generally accepted everywhere across Bulgaria, players should hardly be deprived of any one online casino option.

FAQs

What other gambling verticals are legally allowed for Bulgaria players?

- Players in Bulgaria are legally eligible to enjoy all gambling verticals, including sportsbetting, poker, lottery and bingo aside from casino action.

What kinds of player bonuses are offered to this pool?

- All regular types of player bonuses, such as Welcome offer, No Deposit bonus, Free Spins, Reload Bonus, as well as VIP Programs, are generally part of the ‘Bonuses and Promos’ sections at these casinos.

Is there any specific body that players can turn to in order to report irregularities?

- The same Gambling Commission in charge of issuing licenses and setting up regulative is the one responsible for casinos going rogue.

What is the legal gambling age in the country?

- The legal gambling age is set at 18.

Is the gambling age for tourists any different?

- Tourists need to comply with the regulations that are generally imposed across the territory of Bulgaria. This includes the gambling age, which is set at 18.

Which casino software developers provide games for these casinos’ game libraries?

- A wide range of software providers have their games included in these casinos’ libraries, such as Microgaming, Betsoft, Play’n Go, Pragmatic Play, Booongo and others.

Are there multiple language options?

- Most of the sites are fitted for their target markets, so there is no need to learn English perfectly – players from Bulgaria can now choose from a variety of languages, including their own.

What is the average wait time for processing transactions at these sites?

- This will depend on your choice of casino, as well as banking method, even though deposits are usually performed momentarily, while withdrawals tend to take one day, up to a business week.

How do I know which sites are safe for online gameplay?

- Since all the casinos need to be licensed by the national Gambling Commission, it shouldn’t be too hard to distinguish the good from the bad. Bear in mind that, in addition to licensing, casinos are also subject to rigorous tests performed by the reputable eCOGRA independent company.

Is there free play available at these sites?

- Online casino players from Bulgaria will be able to enjoy in a play for fun mode at most of the online casino platforms made available for them. That way, you can get a feel of the casino floor and games before trusting them with your money.