Online gaming advertising restrictions repealed

2020-06-10T09:31:00
Spain

Today, June 10, saw Royal Decree-Law 21/2020, of June 9, on urgent prevention, containment and coordination measures to face the health crisis caused by COVID-19 published in the Official Gazette of the Spanish State, repealing the restrictions on advertising and promoting online gaming approved just over two months ago in the framework of the state

Online gaming advertising restrictions repealed
June 10, 2020

Today, June 10, saw Royal Decree-Law 21/2020, of June 9, on urgent prevention, containment and coordination measures to face the health crisis caused by COVID-19 published in the Official Gazette of the Spanish State, repealing the restrictions on advertising and promoting online gaming approved just over two months ago in the framework of the state of emergency caused by the current health crisis.

These restrictions were introduced by Royal Decree-Law 11/2020, of March 31, adopting additional emergency measures to face the social and economic impact of COVID-19, which, in section 37, established restrictions on commercial communications from entities performing a gaming activity regulated in Spanish Act 13/2011, of May 27, on Gaming Regulation, which we analyzed in a recent blog post available here.

The restrictions, in force since April 4, will be repealed with effect from the day after  publication in the Official Gazette of the Spanish State, i.e., tomorrow, June 11, 2020. From then, online gaming operators can resume their advertising and promotional activity as usual.

This is a U-turn in the advertising regulations in the online gaming sector to which operators and other participants have had to adapt, as well as a de-escalation measure in view of the positive progression of the pandemic.

Authors: Clara Sánchez, Alicia Costas and Jorge Monclús

June 10, 2020