Madrid conference puts Spain’s gambling reform centre stage

• DGOJ chief Mikel Arana and Jdigital head Jorge Hinojosa both appear at the Gaming in Spain Conference on 15 October.
• Operators are resisting cross-operator deposit limits, a central detection algorithm and new marketing restrictions.
• Spain’s online market generated €539.18m in gross gaming revenue in Q2 2026.

Spain’s gambling regulator and its main online trade body share a stage in Madrid on 15 October, when the Gaming in Spain Conference turns to the government’s latest round of restrictions.

Licensed operators have made clear they plan to resist the measures as far as they can.

Growth meets caps

Spain goes into the debate with a market that is still growing fast. Online gross gaming revenue reached €539.18m in the second quarter, up 31.16% year on year, according to DGOJ data.

Betting grew fastest, up 47.46%, and now brings in almost half of all revenue. Monthly active accounts averaged 2.03 million over the quarter.

First-half revenue came in just short of €1bn. Operators also spent €194.46m on marketing in Q2, most of it on promotions and advertising.

That scale is drawing consolidation. Lottomatica recently agreed to absorb Cirsa in an all-share deal, combining its Italian business with the Spanish group’s casino, slots and online operations.

The government wants tighter controls on that growth. Cross-operator deposit limits are now in a trial phase. Caps of €700 a day, €1,750 a week and €3,300 over four weeks apply across every licensed brand a player uses.

The DGOJ is also introducing a central problem gambling detection algorithm that operators will be required to use.

In the longer term, the government plans to amend the country’s gambling act and bring in significant new marketing restrictions. Its public consultation earlier this year covered influencer advertising, customer acquisition promotions and search engine ads.

Playing the long game

Jdigital (Asociación Española de Juego Digital) set out its position in a recent statement on the government’s proposals. Jdigital said:

“In the final phase of the current legislative session, and with no expectation that a reform of this magnitude can complete the legislative process and become law, the work carried out in the coming months must necessarily be viewed with a horizon that extends beyond the current legislative term.”

The trade body has also warned that tighter rules risk pushing players towards the black market. When the deposit limits were approved in June, it argued that around 80% of Spanish online players use only one operator.

Operators may also take the fight to court. At a recent Gaming in Spain webinar, Xavi Muñoz, Managing Partner at ECIJA Barcelona, said Spanish-licensed operators are clearly unhappy with the proposed reforms.

According to Muñoz, operators are considering a court case against the government to stop the DGOJ from implementing cross-operator deposit limits.

Both sides in the room

Mikel Arana, Director General of the DGOJ, and Jorge Hinojosa, Director General of Jdigital, are both appearing at the conference. It takes place at the Auditorio ECIJA in central Madrid.

With both of them attending, the reform package will be debated with the regulator and the industry’s main trade body in the same room.

The wider agenda covers the growing threat from illegal operators, AML and fraud prevention, and new products and technologies. Registration is now open.

There isn’t much time. The deposit limit system is due to go live in March 2027, and the gambling act reform still faces an election before it can pass. Operators deciding whether to go to court or wait will watch closely for any sign that Arana is flexible on implementation.