Spain’s Directorate General of Gaming launches public consultation

DGOJ, Spain’s Directorate General of Gaming, has launched a public consultation on data requirements needed to update its regulatory framework. Industry stakeholders and the general public have until the 7th September to send feedback on the DGOJ’s objective to overhaul the data provided to its information monitoring system for Spanish Gambling.

The Directorate’s proposal aims to modify existing regulations as it handles the implementation process of the Royal Decree of the Development of Safer Gaming Environments. The decree was approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers earlier this year in March. By 2024, the Spanish government seeks to implement all the measures of its the decree. Operators found in breach of the new rules could face up to €1m in fines and a six-month licence suspension.

The decree is heavily focused on consumers in the 18-25 age group but includes measures for all gamblers. The measures are particularly targeted at safeguarding intensive gamblers. The decree defines consumers as an intensive gamblers after spending at least €600 in a three-week period or €200 over the same period for the 18-25 age group.

What are some of the measures?

• operators must send warning messages to intensive gamblers if they detect potentially harmful behaviour,
• players will have their accounts suspended if they fail to respond to an operator’s attempt to communicate within 72 hours,
• operators must provide monthly summaries of gaming activity,
• operators are prohibited from sending promotional material to intensive players and they must not include them in VIP programmes,
• intensive gamblers will be banned from using credit cards to gamble,
• gambling operators will not be allowed to send promotions to people under 25 if they have not previously interacted with the business,
• younger players must be shown a message telling them that gambling at an early age may lead to an increased risk of developing unsafe gambling behaviour.

Once the measures in the decree are fully implemented, Spain will have some of the most stringent industry laws in Europe.

Interested in learning more about the industry? Join us in Malta between the 13 – 17 November for  SiGMA Europe 2023.