Spain's safer gambling decree applies its second wave of player protections
From 15 March 2024 the 12-month provisions of Royal Decree 176/2023 applied: session limits, live-betting caps and curbs on promotions to under-26s.
By Oliwer Brewitz, Head of Marketing
Key changes
- Mandatory pre-session time and loss limits for 'Other games' (casino) sessions
- Live-betting stakes capped at the balance held when the event starts
- No credit card deposits for intensive or at-risk players
- No promotions unrelated to the gaming activity for players aged 25 or under
What changed
Royal Decree 176/2023 on safer gambling environments was published in the BOE on 15 March 2023. Most of it applied after six months, but Articles 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23 and 30 entered into force twelve months after publication, on 15 March 2024. From that date players must set a maximum time and a maximum loss before each session of games under the 'Other games' licence, with no saved or default values. Money staked on live betting cannot exceed the account balance when the event starts, plus winnings from live bets on that event. Players with intensive gambling behaviour cannot deposit with credit cards, and players flagged for risk behaviour may only use payment methods in their own name and not credit cards.
What it means for advertising
Article 23 bars sending young participants, defined as players aged 25 or under, any promotional activity whose object is unrelated to the gaming activity on the operator's platform. Together with the reinforced risk messages for new young players, this narrows the CRM and promotional tools available for the 18 to 25 segment. Acquisition advertising that leads into these flows is likely to need age-aware landing and onboarding journeys.
What operators should do
Segment player bases by age so that under-26s are excluded from non-gaming promotions such as merchandise or event giveaways. Check that casino session configuration forces fresh limits every time. Confirm that live-betting wallets apply the balance cap, and that payment rules for intensive and at-risk players are enforced automatically. Keep records of the configuration for DGOJ audits, and brief CRM and affiliate teams on the age rules before any promotional calendar is set.
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