Spain to ban wagering on youth sports events

The local gambling regulator from Spain will introduce a measure that is set to ban betting on youth sports events.

Spain.- The Spanish gambling regulator, Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), has announced that it will introduce new regulations that will change sports betting in the country. The measure is set to ban operators from offering bets on sports events involving participants under 18.

The DGOJ said that the measure will help the local industry evolve without fraud. It will also help prevent addiction and improve consumer protection. Moreover, it will safeguard participants’ rights when being part of youth sports events in Spain. The move will come into effect once the regulations are published in the country’s official gazette, Boletín Oificial del Estado. However, it is unclear when this will happen.

“Through the resolution, it is established that gambling operator with a valid licence will not be able to include in its program those events that involve a majority of participants under 18 years old,” reads the DGOJ release.

“There are multiple reasons why it’s inconvenient for minors to engage in events participating in gambling activity,” said the DGOJ.

“This measure will help eliminate from learning spheres the possibility of competitions being manipulated through the perversion of athletes whose maturity has not been completed yet and, therefore, more likely to be influenced.”