Spanish gambling makes major demands of DGOJ

Summary

Spain’s main gaming trade body, the Consejo Empresarial del Juego (CeJuego), has accused the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the DGOJ of selectively publishing enforcement data in a way that damages the reputation of licenced private operators. CeJuego has called for the resignation of Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy and DGOJ Director Mikel Arana, and plans to file a formal complaint with the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC).

The dispute centres on a Ministry press release that listed fines totalling more than €3m for 2025 but omitted the name of the state lottery operator (SELAE) despite including its penalty in the aggregate figure. CeJuego says this omission shows lenient oversight of the public operator and a conflict of interest, since the government both regulates and competes in the sector.

Separately, the DGOJ is preparing to roll out several Royal Decree projects in 2026, including a centralised deposit-limit system (caps: €600/day, €1,500/week, €3,000/month) and an AI-driven responsible-gambling algorithm due by March 2026. Operators warn they have been told to prepare for technical and data changes without receiving finalised specifications.

Key Points

CeJuego accuses the Ministry and DGOJ of “tendentious and selective” use of public data, harming private licenced operators’ reputations.
The Ministry’s 25 November release cited SELAE’s fine in totals but omitted the public operator’s name from the published list.
CeJuego argues the government acts as both regulator and competitor (via SELAE), creating a conflict of interest and uneven oversight.
The trade body will submit a formal complaint to the CNMC seeking intervention and accountability.
The Ministry’s headline framed fines as against regulated brands, but CeJuego says €30m of a €33m total related to six unlicensed operators — licensed firms faced much smaller penalties.
DGOJ plans a 2026 rollout of Royal Decree measures: a centralised deposit-limit system and a mandatory AI-driven harm-detection algorithm (targeted completion March 2026).
Operators are concerned about being asked to implement technical/data-exchange changes before the DGOJ issues finalised regulatory specifications.

Why should I read this?

Because it’s messy and it matters. The article flags a real fight between industry and regulator over how enforcement data is presented — and whether the state is playing fair while also running a competing lottery. If you work in or with the Spanish market, this could change public perception, regulatory trust and how you prepare for the DGOJ’s tech-heavy 2026 rules (yes, that AI thing is mandatory). Short version: pay attention, and get your compliance plans in order.

Source

Source: https://igamingexpert.com/regions/europe/dgoj-spanish-gambling/