Spain’s DGOJ to Review “Sales Authorisation” of ONCE and SELAE

Spanish lotteries ONCE and SELAE will be reviewed by the DGOJ – Spain’s directorate for gambling – in relation to how lottery games are marketed and sold to the public.

Spanish gambling and media stakeholders have been informed of the DGOJ’s consultation, which seeks feedback on the “commercial marketing of lottery games” allowed across Spain’s autonomous provinces.

The consultation will be open to responses until March 31, with the directorate highlighting that it required necessary feedback from Spanish media and public vendors of ONCE and SELAE games.

As stewards of Spain’s national lotteries, ONCE – the lottery for the disabled – and SELAE, the lottery for Spanish societies/charities, are allowed to authorise the sale of tickets and games via “public vendors” be it cafes, restaurants, tobacconists, retail shops, etc.

However, the DGOJ has highlighted that in recent years the Spanish public has witnessed an increase in the number of websites and online applications selling ONCE and SELAE games as authorised vendors.

Concerns have been raised on whether online vendors offer appropriate customer protection and guarantees on tickets sold to the public for ONCE and SELAE draws.

Spanish lotteries differ from other European nations, as customers purchase tickets with pre-printed numbers, participating in ballots to win a % share of a community jackpot – rather than the single draw format, which rewards an individual winner.

The unique format ensures that Spain maintains Europe’s most popular national lotteries, featuring the Christmas “El Gordo” and “El Nino” draws, which have distributed over €2.5bn in prizes to customers.

The DGOJ underlined the importance of its consultation to ensure that Spanish lotteries are free from corruption and to protect Spanish consumers from fraud.