Romania: New CNA code bans celebrity endorsement
The National Audiovisual Council has confirmed new legislation around gambling advertisements.
Key points:
– Romania’s regulator, CNA, has enacted a ban on celebrity appearances in gambling ads
– This legislation will apply to TV, radio and online but not to billboard advertising
– The ban will officially come into force as of the 6 October 2025
Romania’s National Audiovisual Council (CNA) has unveiled new rules for gambling advertising that outlaw broadcasts which include celebrity endorsements of any kind.
This blanket ban on celebrity gambling advertising is applicable to all forms of audiovisual media in Romania, including TV, radio and online – and will come into effect on the 6 October 2025 to provide a three-month adjustment period for operators in the nation. Celebrity endorsements of gambling will, however, still be allowed on street billboards. According to the CNA, this particular area of legislation falls under parliamentary jurisdiction.
Indeed, the new law has sparked a reaction from the public, who are reportedly concerned about how Romania’s regulator will define a person to be of celebrity status. In response, CNA President Valentin Jucan has clarified that the regulator will enact the same mechanisms that gambling companies use to select which celebrities they want to appear in their adverts.
Further, Jucan released the following statement pertaining to the announcement, saying: “We will not back down from these provisions even half a step, and I want us to reach the point where companies in the gambling, pharmaceutical, and dietary supplement industries will self-regulate. Only then will we be in a society that will function as it does in many civilised countries. Co-regulation would be the healthiest way.
Good to know: In May, the Kenyan Government also outlawed gambling advertisements featuring celebrities and influencers
“We are prepared to defend our decision if it ends up being challenged in court. We did not make the decision based on personal opinions, but following certain studies and research. We have been having dialogue and debating on this regulation for about 2 years.”
Elsewhere, influencers have been subject to similar scrutiny across Latin America with regards to gambling endorsement, with the Brazilian Government also enacting new advertising laws targeting athletes, influencers and other celebrities in May.
More recently, 16 Argentinian influencers and celebrities were sanctioned this week for the endorsement of illegal gambling sites via their respective online platforms.
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