In the last couple of months, we’ve been writing about various topics concerning online gambling ads and their ads. It seems like many people believe the media has been overflooded with commercial gambling advertisements.
Today, we discuss Francisco Fernandez Marugan, Spain’s citizens’ rights ombudsman, who shares this opinion and also believes certain limitations must be incorporated. Namely, he thinks that the total ban of advertising concerning gambling and betting in the media, internet, radio and television is necessary.
What Is The Next Step?
Spain is not the only country looking for restrictions. Just recently, Norway requested a similar type of prohibition.
Furthermore, Marugan stated that if the government doesn’t perch a complete interdiction, he will ask for gambling advertisements to be forbidden.
Moreover, this politician requested an examination of gambling regulations, particularly a review of laws and licenses and prohibitions concerning the gambling industry.
What Caused This Reaction?
Marugan stated that he has decided to make modifications regarding this subject after receiving a plethora of complaints from members of the public. He said:
“In the opinion of the Ombudsman, the phenomenon of spreading the game without control, and especially if the players are minors, has characteristics similar to those of tobacco or drug use.
In this line, [the Ombudsman] has received complaints from citizens for the constant and continuous publicity on television and online media of advertisements of bookmakers.
For this reason, and after studying the information provided by both ministerial departments, the Institution considers that active policies of responsible gambling aimed at strengthening the protection of the most vulnerable to addiction should be reinforced.”
Spanish Ombudsman strongly believes that casinos should not be protected by any laws that are created with a goal to advertise the freedom of business and according to him, gambling is “a public health issue that requires a regulatory framework with imperative legal norms, since a model of self-regulation would not be effective in this economic activity.”
Ads Harming The Budget:
In the PSOE’s budget for this year, the government accentuated different schemes concerning restrictions that are quite similar to those that were made when it comes to tobacco. Fourteen years ago, Spain presented various rules that are forbidding the sponsorship of tobacco products as well as promoting this industry in the media.
The situation is pretty much the same with the gambling industry, because some reports claim that sports broadcasts are “flooded with ads that offer live betting” which is “generating serious addiction problems.”
Source: “Spanish Ombudsman Calls For Gambling Advertising Ban” https://www.igamingbusiness.com/news/spanish-ombudsman-calls-gambling-advertising-ban. iGaming Business. May 21, 2019.
