DGOJ director Mikel Arana called for stronger player safeguards and greater efforts against illegal gambling at Bet on Ceuta on 19 June 2026. He said regulators, public authorities and industry businesses should work together to detect and pursue operators that act outside the rules.
Operators face calls for closer cooperation with authorities to detect illegal gambling and strengthen player safeguards.
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Spain’s DGOJ took part in SiGMA World Roma on 3 November 2026, where its director general, Mikel Arana, joined regulators from Cyprus, Greece and the Czech Republic to discuss enforcement against unauthorised online gambling. The participants considered barriers including website blocking, payment services, social media, mirror domains and prediction markets, and discussed cooperation with digital platforms and other industry participants.
Spain's DGOJ took part in SiGMA World Roma, where its director general joined a panel with representatives of European regulatory authorities. The panel was titled "Europe's Enforcement Era: Regulation Is Winning But At What Cost?" and examined how enforcement has evolved in Europe, the results of supervisory measures and the challenges authorities face against illegal gambling.
Spain’s DGOJ director general Mikel Arana addressed prediction markets at MERGE Madrid 2026 on 2 November. He said platforms offering products classed as gambling under Spanish law need a licence, and unauthorised services of that kind cannot operate legally in Spain; measures are taken to block access to affected platforms.
Spain's gambling regulator, the DGOJ, took part in MERGE Madrid 2026, an international event on cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology and Web3, according to a DGOJ notice dated 2 November 2026. Mikel Arana, the DGOJ's director general, said that unlicensed prediction markets that qualify as gambling cannot legally offer their services in Spain.
Spain's DGOJ met addiction-support network UNAD on 16 October as part of consultations on amending the gambling law. The regulator has not disclosed the proposals discussed or any conclusions, and the meetings continue despite the dissolution of parliament ahead of elections on 29 November.
Spain's gambling regulator, the DGOJ, met the addiction-support network UNAD on Thursday 16 October. The regulator has not disclosed which proposals were discussed or what conclusions were reached. The meeting forms part of a consultation process the DGOJ began in May 2026 with a prior public consultation on amending the gambling law.
DGOJ director general Mikel Arana said the joint deposit-limit system would be fully operational within six months and urged operators to complete the necessary technical work. He said more than 60% of players use only one account, and that a DGOJ player portal would be made available in the coming weeks; the report also says the election timetable altered regulatory project deadlines.
Spain’s DGOJ took part in the Gaming in Spain Conference 2026 in Madrid on 15 October 2026, according to DGOJ (Spain). Director general Mikel Arana presented an impact analysis of Royal Decree 958/2020 on gambling commercial communications; the report is due to be presented publicly in the coming weeks. A separate panel discussed the joint deposit limit system, approved by the Council of Ministers on 23 June.
Spain's DGOJ took part in the Gaming in Spain Conference 2026 in Madrid on 15 October 2026, the regulator said. The annual event brought together professionals and representatives of the regulated online gambling industry to discuss regulatory challenges and the sector's development.