Jdigital calls for Spanish gambling law built for the next decade

Jdigital director general Jorge Hinojosa called for a deep reform of Spain's gambling regulation, saying the framework should look to the next decade rather than the next political term. He spoke at a new edition of Gaming in Spain in Madrid, where he set out the association's position on the future reform of Law 13/2011 on gambling regulation, according to an InfoPlay report on a Jdigital statement.

Hinojosa said the reform should combine legal certainty, competitiveness and consumer protection without disadvantaging licensed operators relative to those acting outside the law. Jdigital said the market has undergone significant changes in technology, consumer habits, marketing channels, risks and regulatory requirements since the current law was approved, and that the legal framework should be updated with regard to both consumer protection and the needs of companies active in the regulated market.

Hinojosa warned that poorly designed regulation could give illegal operators a competitive advantage. Jdigital said new regulatory obligations should not harm authorised companies while those operating outside the law remain outside those requirements. The association said the future model should rest on three principles: security, competitiveness and consumer protection, with Hinojosa arguing for a reform that offers legal certainty to licensed operators and a safe environment for users.

The statement comes during debate on updating Law 13/2011, a process that will set the conditions under which the Spanish industry operates in the coming years. Jdigital said the online sector's demand is to modernise the law without weakening those who comply with the rules or indirectly favouring the illegal market.