Spanish Operators Association Condemns New Gaming Ad Restrictions

The Spanish government has introduced new measures on gaming advertising in the country, restricting digital and audio-visual commercial communications, bonuses and sponsorship agreements.

TV and radio advertising is limited between 1 am and 5 am, age restrictions must be used online and promotional bonuses are prohibited. Betting sponsorship agreements with operators and football teams have been vetoed, and existing arrangements may continue only until the end of the Spanish 2020/21 season.

The Spanish operators’ association Jdigital criticised the rules, suggesting that they will have the opposite effect and increase activity with the illegal market, saying that they will have “terrible consequences in terms of protecting vulnerable groups.”

“We do not believe there is a good or bad game, as the Government is proposing, but we defend that online gambling should be a responsible leisure option, as the sector has always defended and will defend,” Jdigital said.

“We consider the Royal Decree Project on Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities to be discriminatory, unfair and disproportionate, especially in a market where online gambling is a highly regulated legal activity and where the incidence rate of problematic gambling has remained stable at 0.3% of the population between 15 and 65 years of age since 2015, being one of the lowest in Europe,” Jdigital added.