Now that the New Government is Settled In, Look for Changes for the Better in Spain

Spain's Finance Minister has reaffirmed sweeping new measures for Spain's jurisdiction.

General Prevention

New Consumer Affairs Minister Alberto Garzón says the measures are set to enhance protections of Spanish communities from the “extremes of gambling.”

About Alberto

Garzón has emerged as a person of interest in Spain's gambling space since the start of the year because his political party Podemos has been appointed by the newly established PSOE-Podemos “socialist union” coalition government to spearhead sweeping changes in both land-based and online gambling verticals.

Endorsing Gaming

Garzón accepts the legitimacy of gambling, going so far as to say he has played the nation's El Gordo Christmas Lottery.

System Issues

As far as current system failings, Garzón called for more effectively health and social issues.

More Coordination

With the Spanish Consumer Affairs Ministry which Garzón heads currently in possession of an expanded mandate to oversee gambling regulations, Garzón further called for what he calls “autonomous coordination” on gambling standards and sector regulations.

Governing Advertising

Garzón seeks to regulate advertising to provide a semblance of order to the current regulated landscape, in a new environment transformed by the PSOE-Podemos coalition's prompt approval of the long-awaited Royal Decree on advertising to establish new regulations for advertising.

Enforcing Age Restrictions

Garzón is also worried about lax age enforcement which too often allows minors into land-based establishments too often “without consequence.”

Coalition Moves Forward

As far as further adaptations, the PSOE-Podemos government is committing itself to comprehensive monitoring moving forward.

New Management Fees

Upon review of the PSOE-Podemos coalition programme, newspaper El Pais reported the imminence of management fees for all licensed operators to fund gambling addiction treatment for Spanish health networks.

Consumer Group Consultation

PSOE-Podemos is additionally receiving consultation from independent consumer affairs agency FACUA on how to emulate the safer gambling measures of the UK government, with the first suggestion a ban on credit card transactions across all industry verticals.

Outlook

Look for these proposed changes to start being finalised and established in the coming days, in a piecemeal upgrade of Spain's existing regulation system, in a jurisdiction where gaming is young but succeeding and the powers that be are concerning themselves at this point simply with making the process safer.