Spanish gambling reforms put to public consultation
The DGOJ has opened a consultation on proposed amendments to Spain’s Gambling Regulation Act.
Spain.- The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, through the Spanish gambling regulator, the DGOJ, has launched a public consultation on proposals to amend Spain’s Gambling Regulation Act. The reforms put forward are intended to strengthen controls, improve prevention and provide more tools to combat illegal gambling.
The current legislation has been in effect for 15 years. According to the DGOJ, the proposed changes would allow the law to better adapt to the digital environment, especially the growth of online gambling, while expanding protections for users.
The updates include measures intended to address the regulation of the presence of celebrities or influencers in gambling advertising, which the ministry previously sought to tackle via royal decree. The amendments also deal with customer acquisition promotions, and organic search engine advertising, with the goal of ensuring that gambling operators’ advertising pages only appear if the searches themselves are directly related to betting.
The public consultation, open until June 22, aims to gather opinions on current problems, the reform’s objectives, and potential measures. All citizens, as well as organisations and stakeholders involved, are invited to contribute.
This reform is part of the Ministry’s broader set of actions regarding gambling, such as the development of an AI algorithm for the early detection of problem gambling. This ambitious tool for preventing risky behaviour based on real microdata will be mandatory for all gambling operators. The DGOJ estimates that it has the potential to increase detection rates by 10 percentage points.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs also announced that gambling advertisements will be required to include warnings about risks. The messages will have the same format as those on cigarette packs that warn of the risks of smoking and will include data such as the probability of being a gambler who loses money being 75 per cent.
New grants for gambling research
Meanwhile, the ministry has also launched a new competitive grant programme worth €950,620 to support academic and institutional studies on gambling. The initiative will be managed by the DGOJ. Funding will be directed towards projects examining prevention strategies, the social and health impacts of gambling, and associated risks.
Applications are open to a wide spectrum of organisations, including public and private universities, healthcare providers, non‑profit groups, and research centres. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate a recognised track record in gambling‑related research. Research projects must commence no earlier than January 1 2026 and conclude by June 30 2027.
Candidates for funding will need to fall within the designated focus areas: early detection of those exhibiting risky or severe gambling behaviour; individual, family, or societal harm linked to gambling, including mental health issues and financial difficulties; Development of tools, mechanisms or processes aimed at mitigating the adverse consequences of gambling; Connections between video games and gambling; the structural characteristics of gambling businesses; gender-related impacts on risky or severe gambling behaviour.
