New Reign in Spain: Government Implementing Measures to Prevent Vulnerability
Published January 30, 2020 by Lee R
In a country where addiction remains low, the new government in Spain seeks to sustain growth through coordinating prevention in advance.
New plans for 2020 reveal new restrictions in Spain’s thriving market.
Preventative State Efforts
The coalition government of the PSOE-Unidos Podemos coalition government has revealed a complete program for 2020 which includes “urgent regulation of gambling to prevent and curb gambling.”
Six Key Measures
The plan calls for six measures, starting with regulation of the advertising of gambling and online gambling at the state level at a level “similar to that of tobacco products.”
The Precedent
That would hearken the 2005 precedent in Spain which bars tobacco products from sponsorship deals, while placing heave restrictions on advertising and promotion in the media as well.
Heightening Self-Awareness
The government further promised new measures to heighten the self-awareness of players in the interests of encouraging “healthy consumption practices and to prevent, anticipate or identify the generation of problematic game patterns.”
Local Measures
The state will also coordinate efforts with local regions to generate statutes such as prevention of the opening of gambling establishments before 10pm while limiting their proximity to schools.
Land-based venues will further be required to display prominently visible signage about the dangers of gambling at their entrances, akin to cigarette packet warnings.
Reinvesting Administrative Fees
The government plans to collect administration fees which will be used for “preventive, awareness, intervention and control initiatives, as well as to repair the negative effects produced by the game activity.”
Engendering Operators
The government plans to involve operators in the problem gambling reduction initiative as well:
“We will promote the involvement of gambling and betting operators in the development of information, prevention, sensitisation and reparation actions for possible undesirable effects derived from gambling activity.”
Not So Bad
The situation in Spain is actually better than originally feared: trade group CeJuego's Director General Alejandro Landaluce says Spain is “one of the countries with the lowest rate of problem gambling in the world,” at 0.3%.
Landaluce lent more perspective to the figures by pointing out that some 18% of young Spaniards are addicted to the internet and 7% of adults “addicted to compulsive shopping.”
Market Growth Continues
Meanwhile, the market continues to rise steadily, with Spain’s regulated online gaming market last month turning in a 5.4% year-on-year increase in gross gaming revenue for 2019 Q3, driven by recovery of the sports betting vertical.
Outlook
In a booming market, Spain appears to be doing well in tackling the addiction issue proactively to get ahead of overaggressive advertising that has stalled growth and legislation in other regions.
