Second Consultation on Deposit Limits Launched in Spain

In March, Spain approved the Royal Decree on Responsible Gambling Environments, a new and robust regulation for the gambling sector that seeks to protect customers from excessive gambling and also safeguard young adults, aged 18 to 25. Additional measures include the controversial gambling ads ban that raised eyebrows with stakeholders with concerns claiming that it reduced the growth of the gambling sector in Spain.

Despite the controversy, by next year, Spain will likely have the most strictly regulated gambling market. As a part of the changes to the gambling regulations, the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), confirmed the launch of a second public consultation on the Royal Decree on Responsible Gambling Environments.

The second consultation will run through October 16, 2023. During that time, DGOJ asks stakeholders within the gambling sector to submit opinions regarding a planned deposit limit system. This vital feedback seeks to help with the development of the new deposit system. By implementing deposit limits, the government seeks to strengthen the existing framework and ensure the protection of all customers.

Ultimately, the changes support the introduction of a deposit limit system that is developed in a way to ensure that online users cannot exceed an established threshold for a certain period. The new system is expected to include all online gambling operators, thus ensuring that gamblers with multiple accounts are restricted from spending more than the pre-set deposit limit.

The Country Strengthens Safer Gambling Regulations

The new deposit limit system complements the existing responsible gambling tools. According to DGOJ, the deposit limits reaffirm the government’s commitment to protecting consumers and strengthening the safer gambling regulations implemented in recent years.

“With this measure, an additional and complementary tool is configured that facilitates the self-control of the deposits made by the participants, and, therefore, represents an improvement in the protection of the player in line with the measures in terms of safe gambling adopted in recent years,“

reads a statement released by DGOJ

Applicable to Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, the Royal Decree sets different deadlines for the implementation of the changes. One major change to the regulation includes a personalized approach for individuals who are identified as problem gamblers. Such online gambling customers will be approached with personalized messages that reveal details regarding their monthly gambling activities. Those consumers will be given 72 hours to respond to that message and if they fail to do so, their accounts will be suspended.