Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, through the regulator DGOJ, has launched a public consultation on amendments to the Gambling Regulation Law.
The Consumer Affairs Ministry aims to regulate the use of celebrities and influencers in gambling advertising, customer acquisition promotions, as well as organic gambling advertising on search engines.
The proposal seeks to ensure that gambling advertising pages only appear in search results when users are actively searching for betting-related content.
The initiative, promoted by the department headed by Pablo Bustinduy, seeks to update a regulation that has been in force for 15 years and adapt it to the evolution of online gambling.
The reform is part of broader gambling-related initiatives by the Ministry, including the development of an algorithm for early detection of problematic gambling behavior.
According to the DGOJ, the system is the first prevention tool based on real microdata and will become mandatory for all gambling operators. Authorities estimate it could improve current detection rates by 10 percentage points.
The Ministry also announced that gambling advertisements will be required to include risk warnings similar to tobacco packaging warnings. These messages will include information such as the statistic that 75% of players lose money.
With the opening of this public consultation, the Ministry seeks to gather input from citizens, organizations and stakeholders on the problems identified in the sector, the objectives of the reform and the possible regulatory measures to be adopted. The process will be open until 22 June.
DGOJ recently presented a Safe Gambling Program for 2026 – 2030. Measures target youth protection, research on emerging technologies like AI and strengthened collaboration with treatment providers.
Last month, the Spanish Parliament published the agreement approving the non-legislative proposal promoted by Vox Party to reduce minors’ exposure to ONCE scratch cards. Parliament also published other proposals related to addiction.
In April, Spanish Parliamentary Committee approved three proposals aimed at strengthening the prevention, education and treatment of gambling addiction, with a particular focus on youth aged 14 to 18
