ONJN Romania Suspends 25 Million RON ‘Conscious and Free’ Responsible Gambling Program
Published
The Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN) has officially announced the suspension of its national public interest program, "Conscious and Free" (Conștient și liber). The decision follows a comprehensive review by a newly established working group, which uncovered significant discrepancies in how the program was structured, budgeted, and executed.
The suspension will remain in place until ongoing legal and financial inconsistencies are clarified, halting the current process of awarding non-reimbursable financing contracts to the selected organizations.
The 25 Million RON Funding Discrepancy
Launched with a budget of over 25 million RON, the "Conscious and Free" program was designed to finance projects focused on preventing gambling addiction and protecting minors and vulnerable groups. The initiative saw high engagement from the sector, with 199 projects submitted and 180 evaluated. The preliminary results were published on July 28, 2026.
However, the working group’s primary conclusion revealed that the program proceeded without a secured budgetary framework required to legally fund the selected projects. This oversight created a critical disconnect between the selection procedure's outcome and the actual availability of state funds.
Because there was no explicit provision conditioning the signing of contracts on the actual securing of funds, the previous ONJN leadership refrained from initiating the contracting phase. Consequently, the process stalled at the publication of the winning applicants, without the ONJN President approving a final report or officially declaring the final beneficiaries.
Unrealistic Timelines and Legal Risks
Beyond the financial shortfalls, the ONJN cited an impossible implementation timeline as a primary reason for the halt. According to the working group, the selected projects require a minimum of three months to be properly implemented. Factoring in the necessary administrative steps and clarifications, executing these projects before the end of the year has become unrealistic.
Furthermore, the review identified several legal issues regarding the attribution procedure and the applicable regulatory framework. Moving forward without addressing these flaws would expose both the ONJN and the beneficiary organizations to significant legal and administrative risks.
A Suspension, Not a Cancellation
The ONJN emphasized that this suspension is a precautionary measure rooted in administrative responsibility, designed to ensure the program operates with complete legality and transparency.
The regulatory body assured stakeholders that the suspension does not equal a cancellation. Preventing the negative effects of gambling and protecting vulnerable demographics remains a top priority for the ONJN. The ultimate goal is to restructure the "Conscious and Free" program on a solid legal and budgetary foundation, ensuring that public funds are utilized correctly, efficiently, and for the direct benefit of the targeted vulnerable groups.