Spain Online Gambling Regulation
Posted By admin On 25/03/22Finally the Spanish government approved a ban on marketing in almost all forms of online gambling, something that critics say will not really protect consumers as the government believes.
During the session of the Council of Ministers of Spain last tuesday, the government approved the Royal Decree related to the advertising of gambling games. According to its content, commercials on television / radio / YouTube will be restricted only to the 1 a.m. at 5 a.m.
In addition, as planned, betting sponsorships for sports teams are eliminated. Likewise, the bonuses offered by the operators will be limited only to players who have already made at least three deposits.
The entry into force of these new rules will be staggered, according to the football sponsorship agreements already signed and that expire at the end of the current season. As for the current marketing campaigns that include athletes and celebrities, the decree authorizes its extension until april 1 of next year. After that they will no longer be allowed.
Likewise, the current online advertising contracts signed with third-party websites may continue to publish their advertisements until may 1, 2021. At the end of that period, operators may not make any further advertisements or promotions of this type except on their own gambling platforms.
Gambling has been legal in Spain for more than 30 years, but a lot of casinos especially in the autonomous communities like Andalusia, The Basque Country, Canary Islands, Catalonia etc. Were operating without a license and regardless of any regulation. When the Spanish Gambling Act took over, it created the backbone of online casinos. Gambling licences and authorisations; Gambling activity control; Disciplinary proceedings; Gambling advertising: co-regulation agreement. Code of conduct; General Register of Gaming Access Bans (RGIAJ) Information, transparency and good governance; Studies, reports and presentations. Data of the Spanish game market; National online gambling market.
Garzón: the “law of the jungle” will be ended
Operators can continue to promote their products on their social networks and those of their followers, as long as they avoid sending them to minors through filters. Those who do not comply with these legal provisions could face fines ranging from 100,000 euros to 1 million euros and suspension of the license for up to six months.
After the announcement, the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, declared that the implementation of these new rules was a necessity given the increase in gambling marketing strategies and the ability of this type of advertising to attract public during the period of confinement due to the pandemic. He had previously claimed that legal regulations on gaming marketing would end the “law of the jungle.”
Gambling advertising increased substantially last year but fell rapidly in the second quarter of 2020, just when Minister Garzón argued that this type of advertising was very powerful. Although the highest advertising spending in 2019 was made by ONCE and SELAE, the two state lotteries for which most of these rules do not apply.
The new rules do not affect state lotteries
During his remarks this week, Garzón said that imposing the same restrictions on state lotteries “would not make sense” as “they are of a different nature” from online casinos and bookmakers. He said it was Spanish gambling laws, not the Decree, which established the distinction between one form of gambling and another.
However, although he admitted that the rates of gambling problems in the country increased considerably during the blockade due to the health crisis, he insisted that thanks to advertising there was “more attractiveness to participate” in the activity of online gambling.
Online Gambling Regulations In Usa
For its part, the association of the online gaming industry in Spain, Jdigital, pointed out that the royal decree will not effectively offer protection to consumers. It predicts that consumers will be pushed to gambling sites without a Spanish license.
Online Gambling Rules And Regulations
There they will probably get better welcome bonus offers without having to pay taxes or be punished by the laws of the Spanish government.
Online Gambling Regulation
Source: https://calvinayre.com/2020/11/04/business/spain-approves-online-gambling-advertising-sponsorship-limits/