LiveScore has announced the withdrawal of its betting platform from Bulgaria by the end of 2025 after just 10 months operating in the Eastern European nation.
The Power 50-ranked parent company said its LiveScore Bet brand was being pulled from the country due to regulatory uncertainty there as well as the need to mitigate betting tax rises in the UK.
LiveScore Bet launched in Bulgaria in February, naming former Premier League star Dimitar Berbatov as a brand ambassador.
In May, LiveScore CEO Sam Sadi said efforts to scale in the Bulgarian market had been slower than anticipated owing to advertising restrictions introduced several months before the launch.
Since then, the regulatory environment in the country has changed further, with an increase in gross gaming revenue (GGR) from 20% to 25% coming into effect from the 1 January 2026.
A similar tax hike in the Netherlands from January this year caused LiveScore Bet to withdraw from that market in December 2024.
LiveScore said in a press release: “The decision is a strategic mitigation following the UK government’s 2025 Autumn Budget, which saw significant increases to both remote gaming duty and general betting duty.
“Furthermore, the exit decision considers the uncertainty in Bulgaria’s own regulatory landscape, with a potential tax rise on the horizon to reduce the national budget deficit.
“The refocusing of resources ensures LiveScore Group remains robust and agile for the future.
“All impacted people have been informed and are now subject to a confidential consultation process, while an exercise is now underway to inform all LiveScore Bet customers in Bulgaria.”
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London-based operator cites tax and regulatory difficulties both in the local market and in the UK
The post LiveScore Bet pulls out of Bulgaria first appeared on EGR Intel.