The national gambling regulator of Spain – Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) – has started a public consultation on the latest data requirements that are necessary to update its monitoring framework. The local gambling sector will be given around two months to share its thoughts on the matter.
As previously reported by CasinoGamesPro, the Directorate General of Gaming is aimed at introducing further changes to the Spanish regulatory landscape, as the new Royal Decrees on safer gambling requires. Both stakeholders in the gambling industry and the wider public will have until September 7th, 2023 to share some feedback with the authority on the matter.
The country’s gambling regulatory body needs to make certain amendments to how data is regulated to improve the work of the information monitoring system and enhance the prevention of gambling-related harm. Under the provisions of the latest Royal Decree, all gambling companies that hold a Spanish operating license are required to make sure their monitoring and record-keeping protocols are adequately protecting local people from gambling-related harm. Furthermore, companies are set to be required to keep risk profiles of customers under the age of 25 to prevent them from suffering any negative consequences of compulsive gambling.
The new rules are aimed at protecting young adults from the dangers of excessive gambling that could grow into gambling addiction. Since people between 18 and 25 of age are believed to be more susceptible to gambling harm, the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs wants to make sure gambling operators are extra careful with such demographics to minimize the potential negative impact such practices could have on consumers.
Royal Decree on Responsible Gaming Environments Seeks to Establish Safe Gambling Landscape for Spanish Customers
As CasinoGamesPro reported, the Spanish lawmakers gave the green light to the Royal Decree on Responsible Gaming Environments in March 2023. The piece of legislation outlines a bunch of safer gambling measures that are set to be implemented gradually in the country.
The Spanish online gambling sector is expected to implement the new know-your-customer requirements in the second half of the year, paving the way to a safer gambling landscape that would protect the customers more efficiently.
Apart from closely monitoring the gambling activity of young people, the Decree aims at preventing operators from targeting young people with offers of special bonuses and promotions. Under the provisions of the piece of legislation, gambling operators will be required to make sure they intervene within 72 hours when they detect harmful activities. If they fail to comply with these requirements, gambling businesses could face monetary penalties of up to €50 million.
The Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego has shared that all the required changes outlined in the Decree will be hopefully implemented in full by 2024.
Spain is known as one of the jurisdictions featuring the strictest gambling rules in Europe because it has refused to make any compromise with its citizens’ safety. As a result, local gambling operators are required to comply with strict rules in case they do not want to get involved in serious problems with the national gambling regulatory body.
At the same time, the Directorate General of Gaming has been working on a cross-operator deposit limit system which, in its opinion, will be crucial for the safety of the gambling sector. The system is aimed at the implementation of a bunch of self-control tools available on all legal platforms in order to encourage players to play safely.
