In Spain’s New Online Order: “Less is More”

Spain is poised to implement new online gaming protocols designed to protect at-risk and so-called intensive players by imposing strict limits on potential losses and playing time.

The new safe gambling legislation has been devised by the country’s overseeing Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) and will be activated after a short period of consultation with the public and industry stakeholders, ending August 9.

Before starting an online betting session punters will have to input their own set limit on gaming time and wagers.

The block cannot be altered during the session and holds for 24-hours, after which a punter will be able to reset their personal limits.

Henceforth, during iGaming sessions players must receive a clear message from the provider every 30-minutes, detailing total time played, amount wagered or net loss.

The oft-criticised ploy of “disguising losses as wins” has been banned outright — as have prompts urging punters to gamble more after a loss.

It will now be contingent on operators to provide customers with a detailed monthly overview of their online gambling history.

Special notifications will be sent to gamblers who are deemed at-risk or “intensive” gamers. These players will be banned from using credit cards to fund their gambling accounts.

Gamblers younger than 25-years-old will be prohibited from VIP betting schemes, packages and perks.

And in a further bid to modernise and update their online gambling protocols, Spain’s Gambling Policy Council has also decided to merge the separate gambling registers held by each of the country’s autonomous communities under central DGOJ control.