DGOJ Unveils 2026 Regulatory Priorities at ICE Barcelona

Spain's Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has outlined its regulatory priorities for 2026 at ICE Barcelona, with Director General Mikel Arana detailing the agency's two-pronged approach focusing on safe gambling and market integrity.

Safe Gambling InitiativesThe DGOJ will implement several key measures targeting player protection:

Joint Deposit Limits System - A coordinated mechanism across operatorsRisk Detection Mechanism - Common framework for identifying problematic gambling behaviorsAlert Messages - Objective criteria-based warnings for playersArana emphasized treating safe gambling as a public health matter, with prevention-focused systems designed to reduce risk before harm occurs.

Combating Illegal GamblingThe regulator identified illegal gambling as a direct threat to market credibility, consumer protection, and fair competition. Key enforcement strategies include:

Enhanced cooperation with law enforcement agenciesInternational information sharing and collaborationIncreased responsibility requirements for operators, providers, and technology platformsDigital Advertising ChallengesDuring a panel on regulatory convergence, Arana highlighted social media and digital platform advertising as a major challenge. The lack of specific regulation has enabled both legal and illegal operators to expand their advertising reach, complicating supervision and increasing exposure among younger audiences.

AI in RegulationThe Director General noted that artificial intelligence tools have been more extensively deployed by operators than regulators to date, but suggested AI could become valuable for detecting risky or fraudulent behaviors in the medium term.