The result of Spain’s general election on July 23 resulted in a deadlock, with no party being able to form a government. This likely means no gambling reforms can be seen in the near future, Jdigital reported July 26.
Jdigital told SBC, “We, like the rest of the country, are waiting for the political parties to resolve the governance situation. Therefore, we will not make any assessments until a government is formed.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in May called the snap election, and many had believed that the conservative party Partido Popular (PP) would be in a position to form a government. However the expected victory didn’t happen. Instead the conservatives lost seats.
Now gambling reform will take a back seat and the reforms that had been announced, including the “Royal Decree on Responsible Gaming Environments” which included more protections against underage gambling, may be delayed.
Jdigital is the trade association for online gaming in Spain. It has previously urged transparency in compliance requirements for licensed operators. It has accused the Ministry of Consumer Affairs of drafting a technical decree without consulting with the industry.
Jdigital said in a statement: “As the main and sole representative of the online gaming ecosystem in Spain, we will remain at the disposal of all political actors in the country to resolve any doubts or issues that may arise in relation to online gaming and its regulation.”
