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How Spain’s new mandatory warning labels could change online casino advertising strategies

Spain’s gambling regulator, DGOJ, in October 2025 launched a 30-day public consultation on a draft measure introducing new mandatory cautionary messages in gambling ads. This came after Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs mandated the inclusion of warning labels across all online gambling platforms earlier during the month. By enforcing this requirement, it means that Spain is moving from the traditional “play responsibly” messaging and forging forward to data-driven harm prevention.

The Minister of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda, Pablo Bustinduy, made the announcement. According to Bustinduy, all gambling operators are required to display specific warnings across all their digital platforms. These include login screens, advertising material, and banners.

For free spins casinos in Spain, the updated rules could significantly reshape how promotional campaigns are designed. For one, these operators will have to refine their advertising strategies and adhere to player education. Instead of only focusing on players’ responsibility, the policy will require the operators to highlight the potential hazards of gambling and risky behaviors.

The criticism following

With the ministry setting the standards, not everyone has taken it in the same way. For instance, JDigital criticized the measure, warning that comparing gambling and tobacco was unreasonable. In a statement, the trade body stated that the set measures did not correspond to the nature of regulated online gambling in the country. Since the online gambling market in Spain remains one of the most controlled and monitored activities in Europe, the body claimed that the measures were “difficult to justify.”

Gambling warnings are set to prevent addiction

According to Bustinduy, the current messaging, “Play responsibly,” will be replaced by new mandatory messages, including:

According to Bustinduy, the responsibility for safety is not solely the responsibility of players. It is also up to the government and regulators to create a safe environment where people can operate on a daily basis without being at risk. In fact, a big portion of responsibility also lies on the operators, by ensuring that players are well educated on what they are getting themselves into before they start. 

These new warnings came after an analysis of the 2024 addiction research by the Spanish Ministry for Health. The report’s aim was to unfold the reasons behind gambling prevalence in Spain, both through online and in-person operators. The research found that 82% of people admitted for behavioral addictions in 2022 had a relationship with gambling addiction. 

According to the minister, these new measures would help deal with gambling problems before they ever came to life. You see, greedy and unscrupulous operators do not mind taking advantage of players who are in need. They will mask the real risks involved and lure vulnerable individuals into harmful behaviour by portraying gambling as an effortless path to financial freedom. However, the stated measures are aimed at bringing everything into the light and allowing players to operate from a point of knowledge.

How does this change online casino advertising?

Operators working under these policies might find themselves in a more profitable position than they might think. Those who embrace transparency may find themselves gaining more ground through clear communication. You see, clear communication can build long-term trust, especially among players who value honesty and responsible gaming practices. Well, rather than treating compliance as a burden, forward-thinking casinos might use it as a core marketing pillar. By this, they position themselves as more player-centric than their competitors, bringing in more clients.

On another positive side, the market might see a potential decline in aggressive marketing and misleading advertising. In the past, some operators, especially offshore platforms, relied on exaggerated claims of “guaranteed wins.” However, the new labels will see marketing messages inform players of statistical realities. This could effectively bring down misleading narratives and force marketing communication to better reflect the gambling nature. 

This is not the end

You might think that this regulation is all that Spain is doing, but how wrong you would be! The warning labels are part of a wider regulatory overhaul currently progressing through the legislative system of Spain. 

One of the things that the ministry is working on is reinstating the regulations banning gambling influencer marketing. This relates to a number of measures that were passed in 2020, where marketing was restricted for gambling operators. These bans included sponsorship deals with operators and welcome bonuses. On the same note, the proposed Customer Service Law would bring back the ban on welcome bonuses. 

Additionally, Spain’s DGOJ is preparing to begin a centralized deposit limit system. Among the proposed caps is to restrict gambling deposits to €600 per day, €1,500 per week, and €3,000 per month across all licensed platforms. More to that, authorities are developing mandatory AI-monitoring systems that will be used to identify indicators that would potentially lead to gambling harm in real time. 

By looking into Spain’s gambling market, it is true that the government is positioned to deal with gambling problems. While the new policies will require operators to rethink their advertising strategies, the long-term benefits could be beneficial for the entire market. And as the market aims to move away from aggressive promotions, the world might be seeing a safer industry that empowers players with clear information and safer tools.