SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The DGOJ’s joint committee on gambling standards has reminded online incumbents of their duties and commitments to obey the requirements established by Spain’s new ‘code-of-conduct’ on gambling advertising, which is set to be enforced from 15 January.
Despite facing wholesale inbound changes to Spain’s federal gambling laws, online gambling firms will commit to operating under a new code-of-conduct on marketing/advertising which enforces new ‘auto-control’ measures.
The code-of-conduct was designed and propositioned by Spanish online gambling trade body Jdigital and received industry and regulatory backing last November to be implemented from January 2020.
Promoting self-discipline, Spanish operators will commit to reducing their advertising coverage, whilst displaying uniformed messaging on responsible gambling and under-18 warnings.
Further marketing commitments will see online operators limit welcome bonus incentives to €200 cap, whilst bookmakers will no longer be allowed to utilise ‘active athletes’ to promote their wagering services.
At present, Spanish incumbents await for the newly established PSOE-Podemos coalition government to publish the official terms of its long-awaited ‘Royal Decree’ on federal advertising standards related to gambling.
Mikel López de Torre, chairman of Jdigital, has underlined the trade body’s position of supporting advertising reforms towards developing a sustainable market framework.
In further communications with national media, Lopez de Torre has urged to Spain’s new government to maintain a dialogue with industry stakeholders.
Questioned on the appointment of Podemos deputy Alberto Garzon as the new Minister of Consumer Affairs given an expanded portfolio to regulate the gambling sector, Jdigital’s leader stated that he would reserve his judgement until he saw final structures and assessments of Spanish gambling.
“No one avoids the fact that the parties that will be part of the government coalition have shown a belligerent position in relation to gambling as a whole,” concluded Lopez de Torre, who added that the coalition has said that it will listen to the industry before undertaking any measures to regulate it.
