EGBA rails against “counterproductive” Spanish advertising changes
Pan-European trade body insists measures will lead to unlicensed gambling and slams “protectionist” state lottery exemption
Spain’s new proposals to end gambling sponsorships and severely restrict advertising will fuel black market betting, according to the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).
The trade body claimed that without gambling advertising, Spanish players could be “more susceptible” to unlicensed operators.
Qualifying this stance, the association highlighted the increasing number of unlicensed sites being blocked by the DGOJ, with more than 414 sites blocked between April and May, more than double those blocked throughout the whole of 2019.
In addition, the trade body questioned why Spain’s state-owned lotteries are exempt from the ban, despite the fact they account for 65% of total Spanish gambling market revenue.
The EGBA suggested Spain’s football clubs could lose up to €80m in advertising revenue should the proposals be put into force.
Existing streaming rights fees paid to the La Liga could also be reduced by gambling operators if a ban on sponsorships is greenlit.
EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer called on the Spanish government to rethink proposals.
“The near absolute advertising ban proposed in Spain will deprive Spanish players of any information where they can play in a safe and secure environment,” said Haijer.
Haijer also recommended Spanish authorities adopt the EGBA’s own code of conduct on gambling advertising, which was released in April as a way of regulating advertising in a socially responsible way.
“This is highly counterproductive, and we urge the Spanish authorities to reconsider the proposals, and focus instead on strict regulation of the contents of advertising,” said Haijer.
“Finally, exempting state-involved lotteries, which account for two thirds of Spain’s gambling market, from the restrictions is unjustified, protectionist and discriminatory,” he added.
Last week, the DGOJ confirmed a 12% rise in gross gambling revenue in Q1 2020, together with a 28% year-on-year rise in marketing spend by operators over the period.
In addition, marketing spend on sponsorships increased 23% year-on-year in Q1 to just over €6m (£5.3m).