In Spain, the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling, or DGOJ, has come up with a proposal on new mandatory warning messages for gambling advertisements.
The objective behind this measure is to improve player protection, reduce gambling-related harms, and keep up with the country’s gambling advertising rules.
Clearer Warnings to Replace “Play Responsibly”
The drafted resolution will replace the long-standing “Juega con responsabilidad” (“Play responsibly”) message required under Royal Decree 958/2020. Instead, retail and online casinos will have to display more straightforward messages that show the statistical risks of gambling losses and addiction.
Depending on the medium and format, operators must include one of the following warnings in their commercial communications:
- “La ludopatía es un riesgo del juego” – “Gambling addiction is a risk of gambling.”
- “La probabilidad de ser un jugador que pierde dinero es del 75 %” – “The probability of being a losing player is 75 %.”
- “Las pérdidas del total de jugadores superan en 4 veces sus ganancias” – “Total player losses are four times greater than their winnings.”
For smaller or in-person advertising materials where space is limited, a shorter version may be used, such as “El juego es un riesgo” (“Gambling is a risk”).
The figures displayed in the messages are based on official DGOJ data from the past decade. They will show that around three-quarters of Spanish online gamblers lose money each year and that accumulated player losses exceed winnings by approximately four to one.
Detailed Technical and Design Requirements
In its proposal, the gambling regulator also seeks to implement strict technical specifications on the form, size, colour contrast, duration, and placement of warnings, which could improve visibility across all advertising channels.
- Audiovisual Мedia: The warning must be visible or read aloud for at least two seconds.
- Digital Advertising: It applies to display banners, pop-ups, and video platforms; the warning must remain readable and proportionally displayed throughout the commercial communication.
- Websites and Apps: Operators must include the warning in a clearly identifiable area of their portals and mobile applications.
- Physical Мedia: Posters, retail materials, or printed items, messages must follow specific layout and colour-contrast rules.
The proposal also details the design of the “+18” or “Menores no” warning that restricts underage individuals from participating in gambling. These specifications standardise how the age restriction must appear across different media to prevent misleading or inconsistent presentations.
Embracing a Broader Concept of Safe Gambling
In its statement, the gambling regulator explained that the submitted reform is part of more general changes in Spain’s safer gambling efforts. Under the 2023 “Safe Gambling Environments” decree, responsibility for preventing harm no longer rests solely with players, but also with the structural design of gambling products and advertising practices.
By replacing “Play responsibly” with fact-based risk messages, the Authority seeks to move beyond personal responsibility rhetoric to a more preventive, evidence-driven type of protection. It highlights that keeping the current message would be inconsistent with Spain’s ongoing commitment to stronger public-health safeguards.
Administrative and Legal Procedure
The draft resolution is grounded in Articles 10 and 11 of Royal Decree 958/2020, which allows the gambling watchdog to define the content and technical features of advertising warnings. Before being finalised, the proposal will undergo:
- a public consultation period,
- review by the State Attorney’s Office,
- input from the Advisory Council on Safe Gambling, and notification to the European Commission under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 on technical standards and information society services.
If passed, the measure will include a transitional period allowing operators to adapt their existing advertising arrangements before the official enforcement.
Data and Policy Impact
According to the DGOJ’s impact assessment, the new resolution will not generate additional public expenditure or revenue loss. Its social impact, however, is expected to be significant.
The initiative aims to improve transparency and public awareness about gambling, particularly among young adults aged 18 to 25, which is a demographic that represents over one-third or around 34.5 % of online gamblers in Spain. The Аuthority believes that clearer warnings could have a positive effect on youth and family protection by preventing early exposure and risky gambling behaviour.
From a gender-equality perspective, the DGOJ has not seen any adverse effects. While men represent roughly 83 % of active online gamblers and women 17 %, the measure does not create or reinforce gender disparities.
Broader Context
DGOJ’s proposal corresponds with the country’s plans to crack down on gambling advertising after the pandemic-era boom in online betting and gaming. Officials are also seeking to balance the presentation of public-health warnings across sectors, mirroring approaches used in tobacco and alcohol regulation.
Additionally, the regulator underlines that the move is part of a long-term effort to balance the commercial promotion of gambling with the duty to protect consumers. “Safe gambling,” the agency notes, now encompasses not just responsible play but responsible communication by operators.
Background Figures
Between 2015 and 2024, Spanish online gamblers collectively lost €10.07 billion, compared with €2.39 billion in total winnings. On average, 75 % of online players recorded net losses each year.
