EVERYTHING HERE: We summarize here all the regulatory developments announced in Torremolinos

Face-to-face gambling once again had one of its major appointments with the Administration at the XIV Gaming ExpoCongreso – Luis Escribano de Torremolinos. Once again, the regional regulators took centre stage in the debate and took advantage of the forum to present their main novelties: new technological supervisory tools, reviews of the planning of halls, player protection measures and a shared message of legal certainty. These are, community by community, the main regulatory developments announced.

Basque Country: the big data tool Jokodata and the planning review

Nerea Alday, Director General of Gaming and Entertainment of the Basque Government, announced the development of Jokodata, a big data tool designed to monitor the sector in real time. The system will unify information on prohibited parties, access to premises, machine permits, betting data, access controls, sanctions and advertising campaigns. Its development will be completed by the end of 2026 and will come into operation in 2027.

Alday also advanced a review of the planning model for the lounges during 2026-2027. The Basque Country maintains a ratio of one gaming establishment per 10,000 inhabitants, but currently has 207 active lounges compared to the 170 planned in the 2022 plan, so modifications are being considered to allow certain extensions or transfers. At the end of 2025, the community registered 7,476 machine permits in the hospitality industry (6,922 installed) and 2,654 authorisations in lounges, with some 2,000 fewer seats than a decade ago.

Murcia: electronic bingo arrives

Eduardo Prieto, head of the Tax Agency of the Region of Murcia, presented as the main novelty the reform of the bingo regulations, with two new modalities: electronic bingo – based on authorized distribution networks and with possible interconnection between communities – and electronic bingo, which combines physical and electronic cardboard. The new rules incorporate mandatory technological approval , traceability, cybersecurity requirements, real-time supervision and control mechanisms and approved identification systems at accesses. Prieto called for permanent dialogue with the sector and defended that administrations must make the protection of the general interest compatible with "stable, balanced and predictable" regulatory frameworks.

Andalusia: new inspections, automation and online consultations

Cristóbal Lara, Director General of Taxes, Financing, Financial Relations with Local Corporations and Gaming of the Junta de Andalucía, made his debut before the industry with an announcement of simplification of procedures: new inspection procedures, continuity in the automation of processes, expansion of online consultations and reinforcement of legal certainty. Lara accompanied his speech with an X-ray of the largest face-to-face market in the country: nearly 36,000 machines installed – more than 56% in the hospitality industry – and 978 lounges, 18% more than in 2019, with a 37% increase in access points in lounges. Seville and Malaga account for around 40% of the establishments.

Madrid: a consensus document of the 17 communities

Ramón Cubián, head of the regulation of gambling in the Community of Madrid, placed as a great novelty the consensus document signed by the 17 autonomous communities after the meeting of July 14, which calls on the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling to provide effective coordination between the State and the autonomous communities – in defense of their powers – in the face of the new forms of face-to-face marketing, the protection of vulnerable groups and the planning of gambling. Cubián underlined Madrid's results in terms of minors – only one access detected in three years and no minors in areas of special protection near educational centers – and warned that "the installation of machines that are not regulated will not be authorized."

Castilla y León: a strategy against pathological gambling

Ruth Andérez, head of the Gambling area of the Junta de Castilla y León, presented the strategy for the prevention and treatment of pathological gambling developed together with social entities and the sector, and advanced the modernization of regional regulations with the simplification of procedures and the incorporation of technological advances. "The future of face-to-face gambling is not going to be decided only in the official gazettes," defended Andérez, who called for shared responsibility among all agents. The community has 115 halls and 12,240 machines in operation.

Extremadura: stability of the fleet and clear rules

Fátima Pablos, Director General of Taxes of the Junta de Extremadura, emphasised the stability of the sector: 3,798 B machines installed in hospitality establishments – around 83% of a fleet of 4,575 machines in 2025 – spread over 2,681 premises, with a stable fleet compared to 2021 and an increase in revenue between 2024 and 2025. Pablos pledged to offer "legal certainty, stability and clear rules" and, in return, called on companies to be professional and responsible in protecting vulnerable groups.