Spain’s online gaming trade body, Jdigital, has slammed the new operator requirement to display a trio of warning messages across their product.
The new messaging, announced on 1 October, will replace the existing ‘Play responsibly’ slogan.
The new taglines are: ‘Gambling addiction is a risk of playing’, ‘The probability of being a losing gambler is 75%’ and ‘Gamblers’ losses are four times greater than their winnings’.
The shift was decided by the Ministry for Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, based on a 2024 report from the Ministry of Health.
Speaking to EGR, Jdigital general director Jorge Hinojosa said equating gambling with tobacco was incorrect and that the government should instead focus on disrupting the black market.
Jdigital represents the leading operators in Spain, including Flutter, Entain, bet365, Sportium and evoke.
Hinojosa noted that the decision was “difficult to justify and does not reflect the true nature of regulated online gambling in Spain”.
He continued: “Equating online gambling with tobacco makes no sense; online gambling, when carried out responsibly, is a perfectly legal and legitimate form of digital entertainment.
“This parallel sends a misleading message to society and contributes to creating an unfairly distorted perception of the sector.
“Moreover, these measures do not promote responsible participation, but instead unnecessarily stigmatise adults who choose to play legally.
“It is as if to suggest that every player is, by definition, a person at risk – an assumption that is both unjust and contrary to the necessary distinction between healthy entertainment and problematic behaviour.”
Hinojosa described the new messaging measures as “alarmist” and insisted that consumers are more at risk in the unlicensed arena.
He concluded: “Those who operate outside the law are not part of our sector, but rather of the illegal market – precisely where the greatest regulatory and enforcement efforts should be directed.
“We regret that statements of this kind lump licensed operators together with unlicensed actors, creating public confusion.
“Finally, persisting with alarmist messages only reinforces the idea that every player is a potential addict, which delegitimises an entertainment activity enjoyed safely and responsibly by nearly two million Spaniards.
“Instead of stigmatising campaigns, the ministry should focus on effective initiatives against illegal gambling – a market with no controls or safeguards, which truly puts vulnerable groups at risk.”
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Jdigital urges government to ditch “alarmist” approach and focus efforts on the black market in light of upcoming changes
The post Spain’s trade body says new warning messages are “difficult to justify” first appeared on EGR Intel.