Spain to introduce tobacco-style ad restrictions for gambling
New Spanish government targets “urgent regulation” of gambling advertising
Spain’s new coalition government has said it will bring gambling advertising regulations in line with those imposed on the tobacco industry.
In the new manifesto for 2020, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the Unidos Podemos party confirmed they would implement “urgent regulation” of gambling with the aim of addressing gambling-related harm.
“We will approve a regulation of the advertising of gambling – online gambling and betting – at the state level and similar to that of tobacco products,” the manifesto states.
Specific details as to which measures will be deployed have not been disclosed, however the manifesto confirms it will include the introduction of rules concerning “information, management and limitation” of online gambling and betting.
The parties have said the aim is to increase self-awareness problem gambling among players and to ensure “healthy consumption” of gambling-related activities.
In addition, the manifesto pledges to introduce an obligation for operators to include warning messaging with “content and proportions analogous to those that appear on tobacco products”.
The manifesto also says the government will promote the involvement of online gambling and betting operators in the development of any measures launched.
At present, tobacco advertising is banned on TV, radio, print and online in Spain under law 48/2005. However, tobacco advertising online is not prohibited if the advertiser is based outside the EU or European Economic Area, or if the advertisement is not primarily targeting the EU market.
In May 2019, Spain’s citizens’ rights ombudsman, Francisco Fernández Marugán, called for a blanket ban on all forms of gambling advertising to be introduced.
Last month, the Spanish regulator (DGOJ) confirmed the adoption of a whistle-to-whistle-style ban on gambling advertising taking place during live sport.
In addition to confirming the further restrictions on gambling advertising, both parties have committed to redirecting a proportion of the current taxes paid by online gambling operators towards gambling-related harm measures and treatment.