Spanish Ministers want tougher advertising laws for online gambling operators

Having recently reviewed its online gambling framework to allow for licensed operators to provide slots play, the Spanish Gambling Authority is facing calls from political parties to reduce and restrict online gambling advertising targeting Spanish consumers.

This week the Spanish Senate heard a cross-party agenda outlining potential advertising restrictions and constraints on national broadcasters, media owners and sporting bodies.

Ministers of Spain’s leading social and conservative parties want better regulation of online gambling advertising, in particular with regards to the protection of the vulnerable and underage. Central to its purposed agenda would be the introduction of a regulatory code for advertisers and media owners.

The introduction of the code would end Spain’s current self-regulated media run advertising practices with regards to online gambling advertising.

Constraints outlined by the purposed agenda include, restricting of TV advertising with regards to advertising quantity, context and airtime. Blocking of aggressive online advertising inventory such as pop-ups and tracked banners advertising

A group of cross-party Spanish ministers further outlined that they wanted to curve online sports betting operators targeting Spanish sports consumers, by limiting the amount of sports betting partnerships and sponsorships, in particular with regards to La Liga football clubs.

Paula Gonzalez de Castejón, a gaming lawyer of DLA Piper, commented on the matter and said that regardless of authorities’ will to restrict the advertising gambling products, the chances for some amendments to be excluded from the regulations are pretty high.

The Spanish Senate will announce its final decision with regards to online gambling advertising in the coming weeks.