Spain lifts online gambling ads’ restrictions

Royal Decree-Law 21/2020, which became effective Wednesday in Spain, repeals section 37 of  Royal Decree-Law 11/2020, dated March 31. As a consequence, online gaming and betting operators are now allowed to go back to their usual business as prior to the COVID-19-related measures.

The restrictions put in place applied to all of the entities that operate gaming or betting activities that fall within the scope of Law 13/2011.

These entities will be able to exercise their advertising and other marketing actions with no hourly limitations except for the guidelines that were already in place prior to these restrictions.

The measure used to ban "marketing actions which explicitly or implicitly encouraged consumers to gamble as a result of the exceptional circumstances that arose from the coronavirus pandemic."

These companies were not allowed to carry out engagement and loyalty programs by means of the offering of discounts, bonuses, gifts, etc.

The entities were also banned from advertising their services on TV or radio shows —except between 1:00 and 5:00 AM CET— and from promoting, offering, or selling products or services via digital platforms, e-mail, and social media.