After months of waiting, new gambling ad regulations for Spain have been published. These new laws will aim to lower the risks of gambling-related harm via exposure.
The country’s government chose to take action after it noticed an increase in ads from this industry.
CTAs banned, broadcast advertising limited
One particular condition of note to affiliates is the ban of direct calls to bet, such as “bet now” or “play now”. Moreover, no live odds information is allowed on these ads.
Advertising for live sports broadcasts will be allowed. However, this will be under strict supervisions and only applies to events kicking off between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. local time.
Elsewhere, operators can only promote their brands on TV and radio between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. each night. But there are exceptions to this rule. Those include advertising around live sports broadcasts, plus real-money contests.
Promotional restrictions
The new laws will impose a cap of €100 for acquisition offers.
Advertising on websites, however, is still allowed. But pop-ups can only be shown to players registered with operators. Therefore, site takeovers are pretty much banned.
Online ads, as with TV and radio advertising, can only be shown on websites intended for an adult audience.
Email ads will also be limited. These are only allowed to be sent after checking whether or not intended receivers are on the country’s gambling exclusion list. Additionally, it must be determined whether or not they’re ‘at risk’.
Sports team sponsorships allowed, but restricted
Operators and sports teams will allowed to continue with sponsorship deals. But, once more, this is going to be restricted.
Gambling branding on youth shirts will be banned, as will in-stadium advertising. Meanwhile, the sponsorship of entertainment venues and stadia will also be forbidden.
Eight of the 20 clubs in La Liga this season have gambling-related shirt sponsors. These include Sevilla, Valencia, Mallorca and Granada.
Operators given a responsibility
As a mandatory practice, regulated operators in Spain must put together a comprehensive corporate social responsibility policy. In this, their strategies for preventing and repairing the negative effects of online gambling must be highlighted. Moreover, they must identify how they’ll intervene if they become aware that a player is suffering from gambling-related issues.
On top of the above, a customer helpline and deposit limit-setting controls – either daily, weekly, or monthly – must also be provided.
The consultation for these rules runs until 16th March. Industry stakeholders, the public, and others who wish to comment are allowed to share their thoughts until that date.
