In this article, we’re diving deep into the gambling scene in a place like Bulgaria. We’ll shoot the breeze about the methods to pick a top-tier online casino and throw at you our list of the best joints. We’ll get down and dirty with the history of gambling in the country and its current legal status. Let’s not forget to touch base on sports betting, poker, and all kinds of lotteries. And of course, we’ll delve into various payment systems and take a hard look at the existing brick-and-mortar casinos.
Best Online Casinos For Bulgarian People
Bulgaria sports a pretty advanced gambling legislation which, among other things, keeps tabs on the online casino sphere.
In Bulgaria, you can find a heap of local sites running under Bulgarian license. The country is also open to numerous offshore sites that welcome Bulgarian players. Don’t sweat about getting lost in the sea of online casinos, we’ll guide you through it in a bit. For now, feast your eyes on our list of the best online casinos in Bulgaria:
Despite breaking away from the USSR, Bulgaria pretty much marched to the same beat for a good while. As a result, gambling was on the naughty list. Things started shaking up towards the end of the 80s. The first casino opened its doors in 1989 at the Vitosha hotel in the capital, though it only rolled out the red carpet for foreign tourists from capitalist countries. Gradually, more local casinos started popping up like mushrooms on the Black Sea resorts.
The big game-changer rolled around in 1993, that’s when the first gambling legislation was drafted and the wheels of legalization started turning. All types of gambling were formally given the green light. This law lasted until 1999, when it was reviewed and tweaked a bit. No major changes followed, all types of gambling stayed above board, but the level of taxation and licensing rules got a makeover.
Another milestone happened in 2012. The newly minted “Gambling Law” set the rules for regulating online gambling games, which up until then were, on paper, against the law. This sparked a boom in the development of online casinos and bookies. In Bulgaria, the State Commission on Gambling (SCG) was also established, which lasted until 2020, when it was dissolved due to suspicions of bribery from local gambling mogul Vasil Bozhkov. This is linked to the hurdles faced by some well-known foreign brands of online casinos and bookies in Bulgaria. Word on the street is that they were often denied licenses, with unreasonable conditions being slapped on them.
Legality and regulation of gambling
As of now, nearly all types of gambling are completely legal in Bulgaria, including:
Land-based casinos – you can find slot halls, table and card games Online games – online casinos, poker Lotteries – both offline and online Sports betting – available at local betting shops and online
The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance pulls the strings in the industry and dishes out the licenses. Up until 2020, this duty, especially when it comes to online gambling, partly fell on the State Commission on Gambling (SCG), but as of now, it’s up in the air whether it’s back in action or not.
Choosing the best online casinos in Bulgaria
Now, we’d like to chew the fat on those aspects you should focus on when picking an online casino. First off, find out if the casino is licensed and when the license expires, then take a gander at reviews on specialized websites. Next up, check out the bonus policy and go through the available payment systems. Finally, find out if the customer support speaks your language and whether the site is mobile-friendly, in case you fancy playing from your phone.
Legality and Safety
Since online casino games need to be licensed in Bulgaria, it’s worth finding out if the site you’ve chosen holds a local license. However, most online casinos opt to operate under international licenses issued by the MGA or Curacao. As a result, holding one of these licenses is a seal of approval for fair and safe gameplay.
User Feedback
By reading player reviews, you’ll get the lay of the land quickly and understand how the casino treats its customers. We always give this point a good look when reviewing casinos, especially in terms of how fast disputes are resolved. You can get the skinny on any casino on websites and forums like casinoguru-bg.com or casinofokus.com/bg.
Bonuses & Promotions
Before making a deposit at an online casino, it’s worth checking what kind of bonuses you can get your mitts on. The best Bulgarian casinos offer generous welcome packages, with several bonuses for each deposit, as well as regular bonus programs. Everyone loves a freebie, so only those online casinos that offer the best bonus conditions make it to our ranking.
Payment Systems
Bulgarian players don’t just use bank cards to top up online casinos, but also various e-commerce services. As a result, a good casino will always offer convenient and up-to-date payment systems. These could be e-wallets, banking services, prepaid card services, cryptocurrencies, and more. We’ll delve deeper into this in the relevant section.
Customer Service
These days, round-the-clock online support isn’t exactly a jaw-dropper; it’s pretty much the unofficial standard in the industry. What sets a good customer service apart now is their ability to chit-chat with clients in many world languages. As a result, the customer support at the best online casinos always speaks Bulgarian like a pro.
Mobile Adaptation
Over the past 10 years, the mobile tech scene has seen a major boom. Most smartphones are now as powerful as a computer. Consequently, many online casino players prefer using a mobile phone or tablet for their gaming. This means that a solid online casino will always be perfectly adapted for mobile devices of various resolutions and operating systems.
Bonuses and promotions for Bulgarian players
In this part of the article, we’d like to go into detail about the different bonuses available for online casino players. Right off the bat, the welcome bonus stands out, usually coming as a certain bonus package available to every new player. Once it’s used up, a regular bonus program opens up for the player, supplemented by participation in various races or tournaments. Next, we’ll look at each type of bonus.
Welcome Bonus
As soon as you’ve registered, the welcome bonus becomes available to you. Some casinos apply it by default, while in others, you need to select it (since there might be multiple bonus options). In most reputable casinos, this bonus consists of a deposit boost and a certain number of free spins, and this applies to several initial deposits.
Bonuses for Regular Players
Regular players have even more bonuses and incentives available. This includes weekly reloads and special promotions through which you can nab free spins for any deposit.
Races and Tournaments
Races and tournaments are a special kind of activity regularly held by casinos in collaboration with game providers. Most of the time, all you need to participate is registration. After that, you can play slots from the provided list and meet the necessary condition. The more conditions you meet, the more points you rack up. As a result, you climb higher up the tournament ladder and snag bigger rewards.
Sports betting in Bulgaria
As already noted, sports betting is completely legal in Bulgaria. They’re taking bets both on land and online. Some of the most popular bookies you’ll come across include EfBet, MelBet, Stake, Bet365, WinBet, and many others.
Bulgaria is a country with a pretty sweet climate, which naturally makes outdoor summer sports super popular. Given its lengthy coastline on the Black Sea, water sports regularly hit the top of the popularity charts. So, we decided to put together a quick list of the top 5 sports that folks are following and even playing on an amateur level.
Football (Soccer) – Like most of Europe, this sport regularly tops the charts. Both adults and kids are seen playing regularly. There’s a solid infrastructure in place, with plenty of football fields. The biggest achievement of the Bulgarian national football team was snagging the 4th spot in the 1994 World Cup.
Boxing – A contact sport that many Bulgarians are totally into. A lot of folks have been throwing punches since they were kids, even taking part in amateur tournaments. Some even go pro and knock it out of the park, like Detelin Dalakliev who became the world boxing champ in 2009.
Wrestling – Another combat sport that’s big with the Bulgarians. Both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling are hot in Bulgaria. Local wrestlers regularly bag top spots in prestigious championships, including Olympic medals. Among all athletes, Stanka Zlateva stands out because she’s a six-time European champion and three-time World champion.
Weightlifting – A real “heavyweight” sport where Bulgarian athletes have seriously shone. This sport is popular in Bulgaria because it helps maintain good physical shape, and people regularly participate in it along with powerlifting and bodybuilding. Many Bulgarian athletes, like Milen Dobrev, are Olympic champions and are well-known far beyond Bulgaria.
Volleyball – Another team sport, which is traditionally popular in countries with a coastline. It’s not only played on beaches, but also on a large number of volleyball courts throughout the country. Thanks to a well-developed infrastructure and the game’s simplicity, many Bulgarians prefer spending their time playing this sport.
Convenient payment systems
Various banking methods are hugely popular in Bulgaria. These can be direct deposits using cards or various electronic payments. The e-commerce system itself is pretty well developed and successfully integrated into the European trading system. As a result, you can use any European payment product on Bulgarian soil. Next, we would like to go into more detail about the most popular payment methods.
Bank Cards
As already mentioned, using credit/debit cards like Visa/MasterCard/Maestro is one of the most popular and convenient ways to top up your account in online casinos or bookies in Bulgaria. Fast transactions and low fees make these methods a go-to choice for many. The only drawback, perhaps, is having to give up the digits on your card.
Bank Transfers
Some punters prefer this method due to its high reliability and relative convenience. No need to fork out high fees or spill your banking deets. The only downside is the long transaction time, taking up a couple of days.
E-Payments
This method serves as an alternative to direct top-ups using bank cards. In Bulgaria, there are several popular local services that cater to e-payments. Big hitters include ePay, Easy Pay, and FastPay. They act as a middleman between you and the casino/bookie/online store, allowing you to make quick payments without letting your banking info out of the bag.
E-Wallets
Given there aren’t any issues with direct depositing from a bank card, this payment method isn’t that widespread in Bulgaria. Nonetheless, it’s used by many regular gamers. Wallets like Skrill and Neteller have earned their stripes in the market thanks to their nifty features and user-friendly interface.
Cryptocurrencies
The past few years have seen an investment boom in this sector. Consequently, people are finding more and more uses for cryptocurrencies. One of them is using them as “internet money”, which is pretty handy since there’s an existing network infrastructure for it, and the transactions are fast, anonymous, and don’t take a big bite in fees.
NOTIFY Bulgaria is one of the first countries in the European Union that’s given the green light to cryptocurrencies. At present, they have the status of a “digital asset”, meaning you’re free to buy/sell them, and use them for investment activities. The only catch is that you have to cough up a tax of 10% on profits from the sale of cryptocurrencies.
An interesting factoid is that Bulgaria is the world’s second-largest owner of Bitcoins. Some of these funds belong to private and corporate investors, but a large chunk – about 213,000 Bitcoins – is owned by the government. These funds were confiscated in operations to bust cybercrime.
Popular gambling providers in Bulgaria
Since gambling has been on the level in Bulgaria for the past 30 years, the country doesn’t just have a fully-fledged gaming infrastructure, but it’s also a fertile ground for development. This means that many Bulgarian companies specializing in crafting land-based slot machines and online slots are big hits not just abroad, but also back home. Let’s chew the fat about them, as well as other popular providers.
EGT Interactive
This is the top dog Bulgarian developer, initially churning out just land-based slot machines. But they caught the industry drift over time and started spinning out online slots too. Many Bulgarian punters have a soft spot for this provider not only because it’s “one of their own”, but also because its games boast slick graphics and engaging mechanics.
Pragmatic Play
One of the world leaders on the market that’s managed to whip up a ton of fresh-as-a-daisy products in a short span of time, earning a massive fanbase in the process. This provider’s portfolio features both eye-popping, enticing slots and thrilling live games, with the jewel in the crown being special game shows.
Playtech
An Estonian developer, been on the scene since the end of the last century. Their arsenal includes over 600 different games, encompassing slots, table/card games, and even about 100 games with live dealers. It’s precisely this variety that’s endeared it to Bulgarian players, since you can find any theme and any game mechanic that tickles your fancy in their offerings.
Play’N’Go
This renowned Swedish developer’s slots rightly claim to be some of the most polished in the industry. Thanks to their meticulous approach to development, and injecting creative ideas, the provider has managed to win the hearts of players. The presence of branded slots just sweetens the pot and draws the attention of fans.
The Stars Group
You can’t exactly call this company a slot provider in the conventional sense. But many players know it for such products as the PokerStars poker room, FullTilt, and a host of bookies – BetEasy, BetFair, SkyBet, and others. Its popularity can be chalked up to the high level of poker fever in Bulgaria.
Land-based casinos in Bulgaria
Brick-and-mortar casinos first sprouted up in Bulgaria in 1989, but back then they were locals-free joints, only welcoming foreign tourists. The first fully-fledged casino cracked open its doors in 1992. This kicked off a gradual legalization of the industry and the laying down of a legal framework. Right now, Bulgaria is home to about 15 casinos and over 450 gaming halls. According to the current law, you can set up slot machines not only in dedicated buildings, but also in bars/pubs. Most of the casinos are either in the capital (the city of Sofia) or on the Black Sea resorts.
Casino Finix
Casino Finix, perched on the border with Greece in the small town of Kulata, mostly rolls out the welcome mat for Greek tourists. Upon arrival, you’re greeted by a stunning arch, decked out with Egyptian motifs – the casino’s signature. Once inside, you find yourself in a seriously classy joint, boasting a huge gaming floor and a broad arsenal of games. Casino Finix is kitted out with over 300 slot machines (slots, video poker), 16 electronic roulette tables, and 8 tables for table and card games. Besides, it houses the largest poker room in Bulgaria, comprising 8 tables for Texas Hold’em and 5 for Omaha. Regular tournaments are held in this room, with the sweet deal being free food and drinks.
Sofia Princess Casino
The second-largest casino located in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. This casino is part of the Turkish chain Princess International Group, one of the largest and most prestigious international companies in the casino sphere. The gaming floor of this establishment sprawls over 1000 square meters. This space hosts over 150 slot machines from various developers (EGT, IGT, Novomatic) and more than 17 gaming tables (from blackjack and poker to various roulettes). The casino itself is tucked on the first floor of the Ramada Hotel & Spa, meaning a slew of rooms to crash in and special spa salons are within a stone’s throw.
Lotteries and other gambling entertainment in Bulgaria
Up until 2020, lotteries were private enterprises that were merely licensed by the state. But in February 2020, the parliament passed a resolution transferring private lotteries into the hands of the state. The big guns, namely the “National Lottery” and “Lottery Bulgaria“, became state-run. This allowed the state to have a monopoly on this activity. However, this didn’t put a dent in the lotteries themselves. They are still regularly held and come in various formats. Let’s now shoot the breeze about some of the most popular lotteries.
ТОТО 2
The umbrella term for lotteries run by the company Bulgarian Sports Totalizer. Currently, there are about 6 different variations of TOTO 2, but we’ll dig into the most popular one, namely Toto 2 – 6 out of 49.
After snapping up a ticket, which sets you back 1.2 BGN for a regular draw and 1.5 BGN for a special one, you gotta pick 6 numbers ranging from 1 to 49. If you’re feeling lucky, you can opt for more than 6 numbers, but this’ll jack up the ticket price. The minimum jackpot clocks in at 2,000,000 BGN, and there are several prize categories. If no winner emerges in any of the prize categories, the loot rolls over to the next draw. Draws go down every Thursday and Sunday. You can score a ticket at special brick-and-mortar outlets or online on the official lottery site.
There are 4 prize categories in total, the more matches, the fatter the prize:
Prize Group
Required Matches
1
6
2
5
3
4
4
3
Additionally, you can take a shot at the “Second Toto Chance” lottery using the initial combination.
TOTO 2 Zodiac
A fascinating lottery, its additional ball is based on zodiac signs. To get in the game, you gotta purchase a ticket for 0.8 BGN, then pick 5 numbers from 1 to 50 and one of the 12 zodiac signs. If you fancy, you can select up to 16 main numbers, boosting the number of possible winning combinations to 4,368, but also skyrocketing the ticket price to 3,494 BGN. Draws take place twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. There are 10 prize groups in total, with the prize amounts from the second to the tenth being fixed regardless of the number of winners.
Prize Group
Required Matches
Payout
1
5 numbers + 1 symbol
1 to 3 million BGN
2
5
30 000 BGN
3
4 numbers + 1 symbol
5 000 BGN
4
4
500 BGN
5
3 numbers + 1 symbol
100 BGN
6
3
10 BGN
7
2 numbers + 1 symbol
5 BGN
8
1 number + 1 symbol
1,5 BGN
9
2 numbers
0,8 BGN
10
1 symbol
1 BGN
Another hugely popular gambling game is poker. Bulgarians are mad about this card game, and they’ve got a solid ground-game infrastructure in the form of casinos and special poker rooms. Online poker enthusiasts won’t be left in the dust either, as this variation is also legit. Among poker rooms, PokerStars, PartyPoker, and GGPokerok are the crowd favorites.
Reliability and safety of online casinos in Bulgaria
Playing at Bulgarian online casinos is pretty safe, since this gig is completely legit and actively regulated by Big Brother, in this case, the Ministry of Finance. As a result, you don’t have to sweat about being swindled. If things turn sour, you can hit up the relevant government bodies, who’ll step in to sort things out. An online casino isn’t going to risk its local license.
In case you prefer foreign casinos operating under the MGA or Curacao license, you can also contact them. If the casino has acted unfairly with you, you can contact these gambling commissions by e-mail, where you can explain the situation in detail. If the casino really violated the rules of the license and cheated you, the commission will demand to resolve the dispute in your favor.
Conclusion
Wrapping up, it’s worth noting that Bulgaria’s gambling scene is pretty well-developed. Over the last 30 years, the country hasn’t just seen casinos and bookies pop up, but also a lot of companies developing software for the gambling industry. As a result, trust in Bulgarian gambling establishments is sky-high. So, anyone, resident or visitor, can confidently try their luck at brick-and-mortar/online casinos, various poker rooms, lotteries, and even place sports bets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any land-based casinos in Bulgaria?
There are about 15 casinos in Bulgaria, the largest of them – Casino Finix has more than 300 slot machines. Also in the country there are more than 450 gaming halls of different sizes, from a few machines to dozens of slots.
Is sports betting legal in Bulgaria?
Sports betting is legal both offline and online. There are many bookmakers operating in the country.
Can I play poker in Bulgaria?
Yes, there are many land-based poker rooms in Bulgaria, some of which are located in the Casino. For online poker fans, the largest international poker rooms are available, such as PokerStars, PartyPoker, GGpokerok.
Are online casinos legal in Bulgaria?
Yes, since 2012 online casinos are fully legal in Bulgaria. Their activities are regulated by the Ministry of Finance.
Are cryptocurrencies allowed in Bulgaria?
Yes, Bulgaria recognized cryptocurrencies as digital assets back in 2014. As a consequence, they can be freely bought/sold since then.
23.01.2022 | Date updated: 17 July 2024
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