Project ‘Improving the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices, Area 6: New Methodologies for HICP - Gambling ’

In April 2026, the National Statistical Institute completed the project ‘Improving the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices, Area 6: New Methodologies for HICP - Gambling’ under Grant Agreement with the European Commission No. 101199547-2024-BG-PRS.

The project covered the following activities:

• Research on available sources of information - study and analysis of data sources for prices and weights in compliance with the methodological and legislative quality requirements (timeliness, coverage, etc.);
• Conducting a pilot price survey - selection and stratification, product definition, treatment of quality differences, definition of elementary aggregate groups, etc.;
• Construction and production of a pilot sub-index of games of chance, in accordance with the harmonized methodology for inclusion in HICP.

The final outcome of the project activities is the development and implementation of a new methodology for compiling the sub-index ‘Games of chance’ within the scope of the HICP as of January 2026, in accordance with Article 2 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3159, amending Regulation (EU) 2016/792 of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised indices of consumer prices and the house price index as regards the classification of consumption and the inclusion of games of chance.

The project had a duration of 14 months and finished in April 2026.