Spain’s Council of State has approved a Royal Decree enacting new gambling advertising restrictions, including a ban on gambling companies sponsoring sports teams. [Image: Shutterstock.com]Heavier restrictions on advertisingThe Council of State in Spain has approved new gambling advertising laws, the most restrictive yet for the country. The Royal Decree on Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities received a unanimous vote by the council members. The European Commission had previously approved the new rules.Details of the Royal Decree were announced via Twitter on Tuesday: El #RealDecreto establece medidas para restringir la exposición de menores y sectores vulnerables a los taobao soccer anuncios de apuestas ? Por primera vez, la protección es integral: desde TV hasta webs, equiparando el tratamiento de la publicidad convencional con internet.#JuegoLimpio pic.twitter.com/CnBGXpBdHe— Ministe taobao against correct taobao correct score rio de Consumo (@consumogob) November 3, 2020Arguably the most significant rule change is a blanket ban on gambling company sponsorship of sports teams.Tough gambling advertising lawsThe Royal Decree will take effect one day after its publication in the Spanish Official Gaze go188 tte. Officials told gambling operators that if they break the new rules, fines will be issued, starting at €100,000 ($117,091) and ranging as high as €1m ($1.1m).Until now we have lived in the law of the jungle, where anything can be done.”Alberto Garzon, the Spanish Minister of Consumer Affairs, stated that there had been no regulation of gambling advertising until this Royal Decree, saying: “Until now we have lived in the law of the jungle, where anything can be done.”Tackling football advertisingIn October, Garzon contacted the top officials of Spanish football clubs with a warning, as the new gambling advertising restrictions were expected to come into play. He said that the clubs must cease any existing relationships with gambling operators by September 2021. The football clubs are not in support of the blanket sponsorship ban. The ban affects several teams, as many have just signed new gambling sponsorship deals over the past few months. As of October, seven of 20 teams in La Liga, Spain’s top soccer division, have sponsors in the gambling industry. Included in the mix are Valencia and Seville.The COVID-19 pandemic hit the clubs because the resulting attendance ban has sunk matchday revenues taobao correct taobao correct score . Clubs and leagues say gambling sponsorships are needed to provide them with some of the revenue they have lost.On top of the sponsorship ban, India Football Predictions Site the Royal Decree covers television, radio, and online advertisements as well as welcome bonuses. The new rules restrict ads to a 1am to 5am window, a time frame originally imposed whe taobao online Best Online Casino n the COVID-19 pandemic first began. It also bans welcome bonuses for new players.Opposed to the Royal DecreeThe European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has come forward in opposition to the Royal Decree. The group feels the new rules discriminate against international operators and favor the state-owned lottery operators. The lottery operators do not have to follow the new regulations.The EGBA is calling on the government to reconsider advertising restrictions as there is a lack of data to support the changes. Giving preference to state-run operators over private companies, the Association says, could conflict with the European Union’s state aid rules.Citing the Spanish Association of Advertisers, the EGBA reported that data shows state-run lotteries hold over one-third of the gambling advertising spend in Spain. They also generate 65% of the total gross gambling revenues.The EGBA stated that it is in full support of advertising responsibly. However, the group says the restrictions proposed are not cohesive with what the evidence shows, including the low problem gambling rate in the country.