Spain’s gambling regulator, the DGOJ, recently convened its first-ever International Gaming Congress in Madrid. Over two days, more than 300 experts, from policy makers to academics, gathered at the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre to debate how this industry should evolve.
On the financial side, the report revealed that gambling operators spent over €526 million on marketing in 2024, nearly half of which went into promotional offers. Public officials argued that strict limits on incentives could curb the growth of risk while preserving the market’s overall health.
Parallel to the conference, DGOJ disclosed further data trends. Active online gambling sessions increased, but the regulator showcased that not all users gamble heavily; some engage casually, without crossing into problematic territory. Occasional gaming online is made possible via mobile apps that users can play at any time and from anywhere. Popular casinos are available for Android and iOS users, contributing to the growing popularity of the industry. And all of this data matters, as occasionally playing is different from professional gambling. That nuance matters when shaping policy. It is not enough to cast the entire market as risky.
The regulatory horizon looks active. One option that the local government is considering is the introduction of joint deposit limits. These would effectively limit how much a single player may deposit, on a daily or a weekly basis, combined for all of their accounts. That proposed system should boldly tackle how players use their accounts, and it would impose severe control. As such, not all sides agree that a system so rigid could be effective.
One focus was the remarkable surge in Spain’s online gambling activity. According to the 2024 Annual Report from DGOJ, the number of active online gamblers grew by more than 21 percent, hitting close to two million people. Regulators and experts drew a connection between this growth and recent policy change: the Supreme Court’s partial overturn of a ban on welcome bonuses. But the nearby Canary Islands are exploding in popularity, showing that there is a strong desire for regulated gaming experiences.
Among the announcements, the planned re‑ban of welcome bonuses drew particular interest. The Ministry proposes introducing legislation that would expressly prohibit them again through a forthcoming Customer Service Act. The measure, they argued, would mitigate aggressive marketing while balancing respect for individual choice. That point resonated: some operators defend the return of bonuses as a legitimate marketing tool, but critics worry it may rekindle harmful patterns among newer or less experienced players.
The Congress did not shy away from technology‑driven solutions either. Participants discussed using behavioural analytics and artificial intelligence. Spain’s gambling law is already steering that way: regulatory guidelines require firms to identify customers showing “intensive gambling behaviour” — defined in part by net losses per week — and to restrict credit card use for them. Several operator representatives said they are investing in those tools, though they acknowledged the trade‑off between privacy and protection. But these regulations could spill over into other, now thriving sectors of online gaming. The Spanish League of Legends is immensely popular, and its betting scene follows. Could future regulations dampen that growth?
Community voices also featured prominently. Consumer associations and public authorities spoke about the importance of self‑exclusion registers and funding for education programs. That point hit home: policymakers at the congress repeatedly said that solutions must extend beyond oversight.
As debates closed on the second day, participants praised the congress as a fresh start. Many agreed that this kind of multi‑stakeholder dialogue is rare in the gambling world. They acknowledged tensions remain—between profit and protection, freedom and control—but still expressed cautious optimism.
