Spanish authorities imposed fines totaling over β¬142 million on gambling operators in the year 2024.
Spain Cracks Down on Online Gambling Operators, Fines Skyrocket
Living in Spain in 2024 meant one thing for unlicensed online gambling operators - a hefty fine. The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), working alongside the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030, handed out an astronomical β¬142.7 million in penalties throughout the year.
Unlicensed Foreign Operators in Spain's Cross-hairs
Foreign Online gaming companies threatening the Spanish market without proper authorization took the biggest hit. The Ministry branded their illegal activity as "very serious," according to Spain's Gambling Regulation Law (LRJ), and shelled out fines totaling β¬65 million in the first half of the year alone. Big names like Interactive Pro, Stars Cream, Loveca Sino, and others found themselves in hot water and slapped with β¬5 million fines apiece. Sticking to their guns, the Ministry socked away another β¬55 million in penalties for 14 additional shady operators in the latter part of the year.
Licensed Operators Caught Red-handed
Spain's domestic and licensed international firms didn't escape the clutches of the law, either. A whopping β¬2.7 million in fines were doled out to 14 companies for breaching advertising standards, flouting responsible gambling protocols, and violating other provisions of Spain's gaming regulations.
Transparency and Progress in the Gaming Industry
Since 2021, transparency has been key for Spain's gaming market. Publishing sanctioning resolutions and outing offending companies has been the Ministry's strategy to foster compliance and deter unlicensed gambling activities. The 2024 figures add another 180 sanctions to the list, bringing the total fines to an impressive β¬475 million in just over three years.
Ironically, while the regulatory crackdown on illegal operators is steadfast, the Ministry has come under scrutiny for not making clear distinctions between legal and illegal operators in public communications. Complicating matters further is the fact that many offshore operators are based in jurisdictions like Curaçao and the British Virgin Islands.
Despite this, Spain's stance on illegal gambling activity remains undeniably firm, and the market there is shaping up to be one of the most stringently regulated in Asia. Come 2025, Manila is set to join in on the action when SiGMA Asia brings 20,000 delegates, 350+ speakers, and 3,800 operators under one roof. The future of Asia's iGaming industry is about to take shape!
- Foreign online gaming companies operating in Spain without the necessary authorization were fined β¬65 million in the first half of 2024, as a result of their illegal activities that were considered "very serious" by the Ministry.
- The fines imposed on unlicensed operators like Interactive Pro, Stars Cream, Loveca Sino, and others reached β¬5 million each, adding up to a significant portion of the total fines.
- Domestic and licensed international firms within Spain were not exempt from fines either, receiving β¬2.7 million in penalties for violating advertising standards, responsible gambling protocols, and other gaming regulations.
- In an effort to promote transparency and compliance, the Ministry continued to publish sanctioning resolutions, outing offending companies, and adding 180 new sanctions to the list in 2024, bringing the total fines to an impressive β¬475 million in over three years.
