Spain Wants Tobacco-Style Warnings on Gambling Ads
Summary
Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs has ordered stronger, tobacco-style warning labels on all online gambling advertising and platforms to highlight addiction risks and give users clearer, factual information before harm occurs.
The move follows research and government data showing high levels of gambling-related harm: 82% of those entering behavioural addiction treatment were gamblers, and previous ad restrictions coincided with a 55% drop in new online accounts between 2020 and 2023. Social Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy cited the 2024 National Drug Plan when announcing the change, which replaces generic “play responsibly” messages with explicit claims such as “Gambling addiction is a risk of gambling,” “The probability of being a losing gambler is 75%,” and “Losses for all gamblers are four times greater than their winnings.”
The regulation has been added to Royal Decree 958/2020 and took effect immediately. Industry group JDigital criticised the measure, calling the comparison to tobacco misleading and questioning its justification. Spain may also reinstate limits on celebrity/influencer endorsements and cap welcome bonuses aimed at younger people.
Key Points
- New mandatory warnings will replace generic “play responsibly” messages across platforms, banners and social media.
- Warnings will include explicit statements about addiction risk and statistical claims (eg. 75% chance of being a losing gambler).
- The decision responds to data showing 82% of those seeking behavioural addiction treatment were gamblers.
- Earlier advertising restrictions and a ban on promotional bonuses were linked to a 55% fall in new online accounts between 2020 and 2023.
- Measure is incorporated into Royal Decree 958/2020 and took immediate effect after the announcement.
- Spain’s gambling trade body JDigital has opposed the new rules and warned against equating gambling with tobacco; further restrictions (celebrity/influencer bans, bonus limits) may be reinstated.
Why should I read this?
Quick and blunt: if you work in gambling, advertising, public health, or run campaigns in Spain (or the EU), this changes the rules of engagement. It’s a regulatory tightening that will affect creative, placement and compliance — and it signals other countries could follow. We’ve skimmed the fine print so you don’t have to; read the full article if you need to act on this now.
Source
Source: https://www.gamblingnews.com/news/spain-wants-tobacco-style-warnings-on-gambling-ads/
