Spain's Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has published sweeping new advertising guidelines that will significantly curtail the ability of licensed gambling operators to market their products through influencer partnerships and live sports media channels.
The new rules, which take effect from 1 March 2026 with a 60-day compliance grace period, prohibit licensed operators from: entering into commercial agreements with social media influencers or content creators for the promotion of gambling products; advertising during live sports broadcasts on any channel between 06:00 and 22:00; and using athlete likenesses or endorsements in any gambling marketing material regardless of broadcast time.
The DGOJ said the measures are a direct response to evidence that the existing framework — introduced in 2021 — had failed to adequately limit exposure of gambling advertising to minors and vulnerable adults. The regulator cited data showing that Spanish consumers aged 18-24 had increased their online gambling activity by 28% between 2022 and 2025, a trend it attributed in part to influencer-driven marketing.
The Spanish Association of Interactive Leisure (JDigital) — which represents licensed operators including Codere, Sportium, and Luckia — responded critically, arguing that the restrictions would drive consumers to unlicensed offshore operators who are not subject to Spanish advertising law.
"Every restriction on licensed operators that is not matched by enforcement action against unlicensed operators is a gift to the black market," said JDigital Director General Sandra Fernández.
Several European-headquartered operators with significant Spanish operations — including bet365, 888, and Betway — are reviewing their Spanish marketing programmes to assess compliance requirements ahead of the March deadline.
Source: DGOJ
Marcus De Luca
Regulation Correspondent
Member of the iGaming Pulse editorial team. Covering industry news, analysis, and B2B developments across the global iGaming sector.
