Castilla y León economic council questions proposed gambling-law reforms

The Economic and Social Council (CES) of Castilla y León has questioned the proposed reform of the region's gambling and betting law, which is included in a draft package of tax, financial and administrative measures for 2027. In its prior report IP 6/26, approved on 17 September 2026, the council asked whether the budget-accompanying law is the appropriate route for amending sectoral rules that directly affect companies, workers and users. The council questioned the use of that instrument to introduce substantive changes to specific laws, saying the procedure can push the general public-participation steps and independent public debate into the background.

The draft includes a requirement for specified gambling and betting establishments to open to the public for a minimum of eight hours a day. It also provides that doors must remain closed so that items inside are not visible from outside. The council's report asked what justification exists for setting a general mandatory minimum of eight hours, noting that businesses in the sector do not necessarily share the same structure, location, demand or operating model.

The reform would allow establishments to offer complementary hospitality, hotel or entertainment services, provided their specific regulations expressly cover them. It also covers the possible installation of cash machines or cash terminals under those conditions. The report said operators need to know the requirements, limits and criteria that will determine whether a complementary activity is authorised, and that referral to specific regulations should avoid uncertainty about which services will be possible and under what conditions.

The draft amends article 22.8 of the gambling law, which prohibits companies and their staff from granting loans, credits or financing to players, or handing them cash. The CES report also questioned the possibility of regulating other forms of financial assistance through regulations, warning of the risk that they could encourage impulsive gambling. The reform provides that breach of these obligations, and the provision of certain complementary or financial services without the required regulatory authorisation, may constitute a very serious infringement.

The report also notes that gambling taxes are assigned to the autonomous community, a competence that gives Castilla y León regulatory capacity in this fiscal area within the applicable legal framework. The source gives no statement from the regional government or from operators, and no appeal status or deadline.