Castilla-La Mancha, an autonomous community of Spain, is preparing to extend its moratorium on new casino licences until the end of 2031. The Regional Government is citing concerns over the protection of minors and vulnerable groups.
The current moratorium, introduced in 2023, applies to new authorisations for all types of gambling establishments and is due to remain in place until 2027.
Under the proposed changes, the measure would be elevated to law and extended until 2031, but would specifically apply to casinos.
The Government has justified the extension by citing its ‘concern’ to guarantee the protection of minors and vulnerable groups. The rationale is set out in the preamble to the proposed accompanying law.
Furthermore, the Government also highlighted the potential impact of gambling on public health and order, arguing that this justifies measures to limit the number of casino licences.
For now, the change remains part of a draft accompanying law. It must still pass scrutiny by the Advisory Council and complete the parliamentary process before it can be approved and enter into force. The measure is expected to pass.
The move follows research by the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the Observatory of Consumption, which found that around 90% of surveyed 16 to 35-year-olds had tried gambling. Among those who had gambled, 41.6% had participated in sports betting, 40.5% had played roulette and 37.4% had used slot machines.
In July, Barcelona City Council similarly introduced revised regulations to limit the expansion of gambling venues in vulnerable neighbourhoods.
Spain is currently consulting on a new financial integrity authority as part of wider AML reforms
