Since today, Spain severely restricts betting advertising in any media

The so-called Royal Decree on Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities is more ambitious than previous proposals in limiting the spread of betting related advertising.

The new framework was explained by the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, who in an appearance today said that “from today on the Royal Decree will severely restrict the advertising of games of chance and bets in any media.”

The measures introduced in the decree are more restrictive than those that were tried to implement a few months ago, when an attempt was made to limit the scope of advertising by bookmakers. These measures are as follows:

1. Sports sponsorship: Bookmakers cannot be displayed on sports team kits, and they cannot appear as part of the names of stadiums, teams or competitions.
2. Broadcasting of advertising on radio and TV: Advertising related to this segment on radio and TV is prohibited outside the hours of 1:00 am to 5:00 am.
3. Minors: “Gambling operators” advertising can’t target to minors, and there will also be parental controls on the internet to be able to block such ads.
4. Internet Advertising: Ads will only be allowed on websites, social networks and email with the recipient's consent.
5. Deposit bonus: This type of voucher cannot be issued and bookmakers cannot forward offers to people with pathologies derived from gambling.
6. Not famous: Operators will also be prohibited from using the image of famous people, “real or fictitious”, for this type of advertising.
    

In the presentation, Grazón explained that implementing this Royal Decree “hasn't been easy”, but also highlighted the problem that this type of advertising has represented for a long time: “From today we will be able to see, hear any sporting competition free from a permanent invasion of advertising that invites us to participate in an activity that entails a series of risks normally unknown to anyone who hears or sees this type of ads, and which we know lead to certain pathologies that put people's health, social relationships, family relationships at risk.”

The measures now in place had not been able to do so before because there were contracts signed with betting operators. The Football League, the Spanish Association of Digital Gaming and the Information Media Association have already appealed the decree that was released in November 2020.

Several of the measures introduced in the Royal Decree had already been anticipated and, in fact, the teams themselves are abandoning advertising related to bookmakers in their kits this season. An example is Valencia, which was sponsored by one of these bookmakers and is now sponsored by a fan token startup. This season, it had already become clear that such sponsorships were prohibited.

It remains to be seen the real scope and impact of these measures – no details are given about the implementation of the “recipient consent” mechanism on the internet, for example – but it is certainly an ambitious plan that presents notable changes in this type of advertising.

Source: GMB