Valentin-Ioan Tomescu Appointed to Lead Romania’s ONJN After Dismissal of Vlad-Cristian Soare
TL;DR — Romania replaced ONJN president Vlad-Cristian Soare after just over one year with Valentin-Ioan Tomescu, an internal supervisor. Soare oversaw digital self-exclusion rollout, €5m in grants, 1,300 site blocks, and operator reduction from 200 to under 100 following a €1bn tax audit failure. No reason was given for the dismissal amid ongoing corruption probes.
SCCG Take — Tomescu’s supervision background signals continued compliance emphasis, yet the unexplained change adds uncertainty for operators in a regulator still addressing integrity and tax collection shortfalls.
Romania’s National Gambling Office has a new president. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan appointed Valentin-Ioan Tomescu to the role after removing Vlad-Cristian Soare through Decision No. 283/2026, as reported by Focus Gaming News. Soare’s departure comes just over a year after he took charge in May last year.
Tomescu previously headed the South-East Territorial Service based in Constanta. He was later transferred to Bucharest and assumed responsibilities in the General Directorate of Supervision and Control, the ONJN department that inspects operators, applies sanctions, and monitors compliance with licensing requirements.
Soare’s Reforms and Record at the Regulator
Soare assumed the presidency following a damning audit that found the ONJN had failed to collect €1bn in taxes from operators. The measures he introduced to increase transparency and accountability were acknowledged by the Court of Auditors.
His reforms included modernisation of Romania’s gambling self-exclusion system under a fully digital scheme that covers all online operators. The ONJN secured around €5m in grants to support the ‘Conscious and Free’ programme addressing problem gambling. Romania also banned prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. During Soare’s tenure, authorities blocked 1,300 illegal gambling websites and the market consolidated, reducing licensed operators from 200 to fewer than 100.
Unexplained Removal Amid Corruption Investigations
Soare stated in a LinkedIn post that he had been given no explanation for his removal. He noted the institution began to clean itself from the inside through changes in directorate leadership, internal investigations, and notifications to criminal investigation bodies. Soare described himself as a technocrat who defended the Romanian state, market balance, and those harmed by gambling.
The corruption investigations have targeted senior ONJN figures. Ana-Maria Badea, the former Deputy Director General, is under investigation for alleged bribery offences. She had worked under the previous president Gheorghe-Gabriel Gheorghe, who resigned after the tax shortfall was discovered. Odeta Kristanela Nestor, who served as ONJN President between 2013 and 2017, was detained in June over suspected corrupt practices.
Reporting: Focus Gaming News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Unexplained leadership churn in a regulator still battling corruption creates fresh compliance and operational risk for licensed operators.
Romania's regulatory environment just got cloudier. Soare pushed hard reforms — digital self-exclusion, illegal site blocks, halving the license count — but got dismissed without explanation while corruption probes swirl. Tomescu's compliance background suggests continuity, but operators face fresh uncertainty navigating a regulator in transition and under investigative pressure.
- Tomescu comes from ONJN's supervision and control division; compliance focus likely continues
- Soare delivered digital self-exclusion, €5m grants, 1,300 site blocks, and cut licenses from 200 to under 100
- No dismissal rationale given; internal corruption investigations ongoing at senior ONJN levels
SCCG angle: We've guided partners through Eastern European regulatory shifts for decades. If you're licensed in Romania or evaluating entry, SCCG connects you directly to local compliance advisors, legal teams, and regulatory intelligence sources who can decode what Tomescu's appointment means for your license, tax exposure, and operational continuity in real time.
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