The Bulgarian Parliament on Friday unanimously adopted at first reading amendments to the country’s Gambling Act, which ban the advertising of gambling games in the media.

The amendments were tabled by Temenuzhka Petkova (GERB-UDF) and Yordan Tsonev (MRF) and were supported by 186 MPs from all parliamentary groups, reports the Bulgarian News Agency. 
 
The amendments ban the advertising of gambling games on radio and television programs, in printed works and electronic media, including electronic sites, as well as in public places, including facades of buildings.

Advertising on billboards is allowed away from schools, on the facade of a gambling site, on sports equipment, sports facilities, sports halls, stadiums, and swimming pools, materials or products of sports federations, clubs associations, and organizations.

The bill bans access to websites through which illegal gambling and payments to such pages are organized. It also mandates that gambling halls will be opened only in cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants. This provision should enter into force in three years.

The amendments also introduce tighter requirements for the availability of investments by the organizers of games with slot machines. Some 50% of the contribution of gambling operators for social responsibility will be allocated to the Ministry of Health, and the money will be used to treat gambling addictions. 

The deadline for proposals between the first and second reading of the bill was shortened to three days, reports the Bulgarian News Agency.

The Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee and co-sponsor of the amendments, Yordan Tsonev, said that the bill is consensual. He announced that they had spoken to colleagues from GERB and an extraordinary session of parliament will be convened on Tuesday to consider the second reading of the amendments to the Gambling Act.