Bulgaria has been on the gambling map recently, crossing half a billion in revenue, with betting taking a whopping 30% of the sector. There are several brands available for Bulgarian bettors, most notable being Winbet, Efbet and Betano.
However, many gamblers have steered away from local sites, as high taxes have resulted in lower odds and less markets in sportsbooks. Contrary, bookies that accept Bulgarian players, have no such drawbacks and even offer big Welcome Bonuses for locals.
Stay on this article as we’re going to dive into the regulation, taxation and payment tips you should be aware of. Let’s start by listing the best betting sites in Bulgaria.
Bookmaker Comparison | Local Licensed | International |
Payments | Bank Transfers, Credit Cards, E-wallets | Debit Cards, Credit Cards, E-wallets & Cryptos |
KYC | Mandatory | Depends on Bookmaker |
Taxation | No Taxation | No Taxation |
After a first glance on the comparison table, online sportsbooks seem to have an edge on payment options and verification, however, there’s more than meets the eye. Below you will find all the available Bulgarian Betting sites, so dig in, read the reviews and see how you can elevate your game.
Which Are The Top Bulgarian Betting Sites
How We Select Bulgarian Bookmakers
Finding the right option for you can be daunting, as there are numerous Bulgarian bookmakers making a splash at the moment. To narrow your search, we’ve developed a comprehensive selection guide that evaluates crucial factors such as odds, betting markets, bonuses, and more.
Localization
Despite running international operations, foreign bookies often enhance the betting experience of Bulgarian players with a unique local touch. This is typically achieved through a Bulgarian website interface, offering customer support services in Bulgarian, displaying a greater focus on local sports markets and events, or supporting BGN deposits. Furthermore, there is no risk of confusion or misinterpretations regarding the platform’s terms & conditions, since this information is also usually translated into Bulgarian.
Sportsbook
Our recommended bookmakers provide a strong coverage of the Bulgarian First League and the NBL, alongside international options such as UEFA Conference League, Italy’s Serie A, ATP and WTA. You’ll also seamlessly find popular sports in Bulgaria to wager on, including football, skiing, basketball, volleyball and wrestling.
Bonuses & Promotions
We make sure our bookies welcome Bulgarians with more generous bonuses compared to NRA-approved sites. These include dedicated sign-up bonuses for sports of up to 250 BGN, seasonal cash prizes for bettors and a plethora of other offers. Most importantly, not only are these offers often issued in BGN, but they’re also accompanied by more accessible wagering conditions.
Payments
On NRA-licensed Bulgarian bookies, you’ll frequently find local payment methods such as Vivacom, A1, ePay and CashTerminal. However, offshore counterparts tend to have a wider range of methods, including Skrill, NETELLER, VISA/Mastercard or cryptos.
Terms and Conditions
The bookmakers vetted by our team include several pages that clarify how you can use their bonuses, how your personal data is handled & protected and everything you need to know. Common examples include ‘terms & conditions’, ‘privacy policy’ and ‘responsible gambling’. As such, there will be no ambiguity to worry about when redeeming a specific sports deal.
What To Know About Online Betting in Bulgaria
Active Players | Legal Age | Local Currency | Player Protection |
250,000+ | 18 | Euro (EUR) | Games of Chance Administration (GCA) |
A pillar of the local economy, Bulgaria’s booming gambling market is well-positioned for even more future growth, due to the country’s straightforward regulations. In fact, participation is at an all-time high, as the number of online casino users is expected to increase to 237.4k by 2029.
In 1979, the Bulgarian State Lottery was established and, a short while after, in 1993, casino gambling was officially legalized, paving the way for the creation of physical venues. Between 1998 and 2012, the country worked on elaborating an all-encompassing regulatory framework. Under the current Gambling Act, numerous activities are legal, including land-based and online casinos, sportsbetting, lottery, bingo, keno and poker.
Operators must be licensed by the NRA (National Revenue Agency) in order to legally offer their services to residents. Below, we’ll explore online betting in Bulgaria more closely and give you all the key information to navigate it.
Do I Have To Pay Any Tax?
Currently, there is no gambling tax in Bulgaria for locals, whether they win on a land-based or online platform licensed by the NRA. Furthermore, Bulgarian law doesn’t explicitly require players to report or pay taxes on betting winnings obtained overseas, something that further increases your opportunities to profit more.
What Are The Perks of Bulgarian Betting Sites?
Bulgarian betting sites established offshore are first and foremost much easier to join, eliminating the need for strict verification from the get-go. When playing internationally, you’ll also find larger welcome bonuses, free bets and other ongoing promotions, such as cashback and accumulator boosts. Higher betting and withdrawal limits are further provided due to fewer regulatory pressures, and you can expect better odds (97% compared to the median of 95% from local platforms).
Bulgaria Betting Apps
One way to connect with your passion for sports from anywhere is by downloading the right Bulgaria betting apps. Compared to domestic ones sourced from NRA-approved sites, international bookmakers offer much more robust features and functionalities.
For instance, their apps are often compatible with both Android and iOs devices, provide real-time results and odds, a better selection of live events and mobile-friendly payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay or cryptocurrencies.
Sports Betting in Bulgaria - Trends & How To Get Started
Did you know that the Bulgarian sports betting sector generated over $89 million in revenue in 2023 alone? This positive trend is likely to continue, due to several factors like growing player interest and mobile accessibility. It’s not just sports betting in Bulgaria that attracts massive crowds. Players are also starting to participate in e-sports and international leagues, or try their luck with exotic bets (e.g. politics, entertainment), all of which are plentiful on offshore bookmakers.
Bulgaria Football Betting
Football is loved in Bulgaria as legendary teams CSKA Sofia, Levski Sofia and Ludogorets have paved their way in international competitions. Sports betting sites in Bulgaria allow you to bet live with instant cash out on close to 1,000 daily events, including key ones from global competitions like the UEFA, Conference or Europa leagues. Other features are also provided, such as live broadcasting, boosted odds on certain events and Bet Builder.
Basketball Betting in Bulgaria
Even though the National Basket League smaller, niche league, international bookmakers do reserve a special spot for the NBL matches, supporting wagers on totals, quarters, 1st and 2nd half among others. Additionally, you’ll find other major competitions listed such as NBA and the Euroleague, with possible payouts of up to 97%, and over 100+ live betting options.
Bulgarian Tennis Betting
Surprisingly enough, Bulgaria leads globally in per capita interest in Tennis. With Grigor Dimitrov leading the way for the country, bettors have shown increased interest in ATP tournaments. In most betting sites you can find all the standard winner, over/under or set markets along with advanced insights to make better informed predictions.
Volleyball Betting in Bulgaria
Volleyball is a prominent sport in Bulgaria, mainly driven by the strong performance of its national team, one of the leading volleyball powers in Europe and the world. Several top clubs are part of the Super Liga (efBet Super Volley), including CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia. Online sportsbooks offer an abundance of markets for Bulgarian players seeking to engage in this sport, including point handicap, total points, total sets and set handicap.
How To Start on Bulgarian Betting Sites
To begin your betting journey, first you must create a new account on your chosen Bulgarian bookie. Thankfully, you don’t have to provide your documents or go through any extensive KYC at this stage. Follow the registration steps outlined by our team below to gain a full picture of the process.
- 1 Find a Site: We work diligently to supply our Bulgarian readers with as many secure options as possible. Go through our in-depth reviews to pinpoint the strong suits of each operator in terms of odds, events and bonuses, then pick the right one for you.
- 2 Register: Click on the ‘sign up’ or ‘register’ button. Each site requires a different set of personal information to proceed, but most often you need to enter your full name, desired username, password, e-mail address and currency.
- 3 Pick a Bonus: At this point, you may also select your bonus. Some sites have a hybrid offering, so you may pick a casino or a sports bonus. After that, make sure you click on the welcome e-mail from the bookmaker to validate your account and become eligible for all future promotions.
- 4 Deposit: Once logged in, browse the ‘cashier’ section or the deposit page, where you should find an assortment of local options like bank transfer, ePay and SmartPayments. Alternatively, you can also opt for global counterparts like e-wallets and VISA/Mastercard.
- 5 Start Betting: As soon as the funds reach your balance (this should happen instantly for most options), all that’s left is to head over to the betting page, pick your preferred sport and team. May the odds be in your favour.
Which Payment Methods Are Available On Bulgarian Bookmakers?
Bulgarian bookmakers largely reflect the payment preferences of local players and the country’s heavy reliance on cash payments. Bettors often fund their accounts using Smart Payments through the Bulgarian post office, use cash terminals spread across the country, opt for phone billing or pre-paid A1 vouchers.
⏩ Bank Transfer: If you’re a more conservative player who values security, you should consider bank transfer bookies. Keep in mind that deposits and withdrawals can be very slow through this method (3-5 working days or more). For larger payouts such as 100,000 BGN, you will most likely be subjected to more stringent KYC and even AML verifications.
⏩ Credit Cards: Major credit cards issuers like Mastercard and VISA are widely accepted by foreign bookies. The transfer time is typically instant for deposits, but may take 1-5 days for withdrawals. Alongside familiarity and a high trust score, the best Mastercard bookmakers also provide flexible limits for each transaction, between 10 and 60,000 BGN on average.
⏩ ePay: ePay is a popular digital wallet used in Bulgaria for peer-to-peer transfers, paying utility bills and other services. To ensure locals are catered to, several international betting sites take ePay for both deposits and withdrawals. In addition, the e-wallet has numerous security measures in store to keep your funds and personal information confidential.
⏩ Skrill: This e-wallet is accepted by the largest overseas bookies, providing instant deposits and swift withdrawals. Furthermore, the system functions in 200+ countries and supports over 40+ currencies, including BGN. Skrill betting sites also provide reasonable transaction limits, such as 30 to 5,000 BGN.
Do International Betting Sites Accept Lev?
In recent years, many of the biggest international betting sites have started investing in localization. A large part of this effort concentrated on accepting different country currencies, such as BGN, and even locally relevant payment methods. What’s more, BGN integration is a significant cost-saver, as Bulgarians can transact in their own currency and avoid exchange fees.
The Future of Bulgarian Betting
Recent developments at an administrative level have brought some changes in the Bulgaria gambling scene. Thanks to the regulated environment, big international bookies like Bwin hold a local license. We have to wait and see if it’s a matter of time until others follow their example.
The next few years could lead to a relaxation of the existing licensing system, or if more betting companies in Bulgaria choose to apply for a local license, it will just carry on as it is. An organized, well-regulated market, setting an example throughout the Balkan market and beyond.
Gambling Regulations in Nearby Countries
⏩ Romania: has a regulated market and a local license, much like Bulgaria. A lot of the international bookies are blacklisted, and you might need to bet anonymously if you want to bypass the local laws. Here is a list of the top Romania betting sites.
⏩ Turkey: Gambling is illegal and there are many restrictions by the government. Some state-owned bookies operate with a license and offer limited choices. Most local bettors prefer international brands that accept cryptocurrencies. Here is a list of Turkish betting sites you could try to access.
⏩ Serbia: the authorities are more relaxed here, as the Serbia betting sites offer local, European, and international options. You can even enjoy land-based gambling in some of the country's designated regions.
Yes, there are. The most famous is the Bet365 Bulgaria domain, as well as Bwin, and 22Bet. They are all reputable bookies which allow you to place your wagers in your native language and enjoy a great betting experience.
Yes, online gambling in Bulgaria has been legal since 2008, and regulated since 2012, when the Gambling Act officially came into force. You may access both licensed and unlicensed bookmakers that we list in our analysis, as the law does not stop you from doing so.
It’s commonly accepted that in Bulgaria football is the king of sports. It is the one that has traditionally attracted the largest number of spectators and locals are loyal supporters of their clubs, never missing a chance to place a bet while they’re at it.
Unfortunately, 1xBet Bulgaria was one of the leading bookies that decided to exit the local market when the domestic licensing system began. There are plenty of other options though, like 22Bet and Betwinner.
In Bulgaria sports betting is regulated by the National Revenue Agency. So, all the blacklisted domains are published on its official website. You can come back and check this link at any given time for possible updates.