Spain to Impose Tobacco-style Health Warnings on Gambling Products
Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs will require online gambling operators to display stark addiction warnings, replacing the familiar “Play responsibly” message with much stronger statements. The measure, announced by Minister Pablo Bustinduy, amends Royal Decree 958/2020 and will be enforced once the Spanish gambling regulator DGOJ publishes the accompanying resolution and annexes.
New Mandatory Warning Messages
The reform introduces much harsher language for player protection. Operators will need to show messages such as “Addiction is a risk of gambling”, “The probability of being a losing gambler is 75%” and “The losses for all gamblers are four times greater than winnings.” These statements must be clearly visible on the main screens of gambling websites and apps, as well as in online advertising, including banners and social media videos.
Government’s Rationale
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs Pablo Bustinduy defended the reform, stressing that:
“The responsibility should not fall on users but on the authorities, who have the democratic duty to ensure that the environments they access are safe.”
He added that the measure aims to:
“prevent existing inequalities from worsening, and even address them before they occur.”
According to the minister, gambling venues often cluster in low-income neighborhoods, and online platforms create additional risks due to their accessibility.
Wider Regulatory Agenda
The move comes alongside preparations for a new Customer Service Law, which will introduce further restrictions on gambling advertising. Among the proposals are a ban on celebrity endorsements and the removal of welcome bonuses targeting younger players.
Data from the Ministry of Health highlight the urgency of the issue. In 2022, 82 per cent of admissions for behavioural addictions were linked to compulsive gambling.
Spain’s online gambling trade body JDigital has criticised the decision. The association argued that comparing gambling with tobacco is “difficult to justify” given that Spanish online gambling is already highly regulated and closely monitored.
