The DGOJ, the Spanish gambling regulator, lays out compliance requirements for 2026. These include involvement in coordinated international enforcement networks that target illegal gambling, mandatory deployment of risk behaviour analytics, and uniform deposit limiting methods among licensed operators. It presents a user-centered roadmap within the framework of public policies.
Player protection at the core of the Spanish strategy
The Spanish regulatory body’s protection strategy is based on three complementary pillars:
- Transparent information
- Ethical use of technology
- Risk prevention
The General Director of the DGOJ, Mikel Arana, emphasised the importance of gambling environments that incorporate these elements as a fundamental part of sustainability.
The risks linked to online gambling do not respect territorial boundaries; different regulatory authorities must coordinate their responses. International collaboration is, therefore, indispensable.
Arana also stated that safe gambling constitutes a core public policy priority in Spain and emphasised the need to place the player at the centre of market design.
Algorithms, digital advertising and the fight against unauthorised gambling
At a recent gambling industry meeting in Barcelona, the DGOJ addressed the difficulties posed by digital marketing both in search engines and on various social media platforms.
Arana elaborated on the imperative need to strengthen mechanisms for international cooperation. The Spanish authority emphasised that, as illicit businesses profit from regulatory fragmentation to circumvent national legislation, the battle against unlicensed gaming extends beyond what a single state can handle. For this reason, he emphasised that collaboration with law enforcement authorities is not enough on its own. It must be complemented by the exchange of information and international cooperation to contain transnational activity. Arana presented this coordinated strategy as a key response to the challenges facing the regulated Spanish market in an increasingly globalised digital environment.
The responsibility of the supply chain within commercial operators (B2B) was identified as a critical area of attention. Technology platforms, advertisers, and content providers also have shared responsibilities in preventing the expansion of the unauthorised market.
Detection systems and deposit limits: 2026 measures
The General Director outlined the regulatory priorities that will guide DGOJ policy during 2026, around two fundamental pillars:
- Safe gambling as a public health policy
- Market integrity against illegal operators and fraud
To implement player protection, Arana announced specific technical instruments that will transform the Spanish regulatory ecosystem. The Joint Deposit Limits System is a mechanism that enables monitoring the economic exposure of players in an integrated manner. In addition, a common system for detecting risk behaviours will be developed through analysis of gambling patterns.
The Spanish regulatory strategy centred on prevention
Alert systems, risk detection, and deposit controls operate as preventive barriers under public health principles.
The Spanish strategy represents a fundamental shift: whereas historically regulators sanctioned problematic behaviours, the DGOJ now gets ahead, using technology and systems architecture to neutralise risk factors before they cause harm.
International cooperation and the corporate responsibility of operators and platforms thus become complementary elements of a shared vision of safe and sustainable gambling.
This article was first published in Spanish on 2 February 2026.
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