While the Cortes are being dissolved, Consumer Affairs continues to regulate: new mandatory messages and 15% bands on gambling advertising

The BOE of this Tuesday, October 6 , publishes Royal Decree 806/2026, dissolving the Congress and the Senate and calling general elections for November 29. That same bulletin also includes a regulation in the sector: the Resolution of September 18, 2026 of the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling, which sets the mandatory messages and their technical specifications in commercial communications of gambling activities.

The resolution, signed by the Director General of Gambling Regulation, Mikel Arana Echezarreta, develops articles 10 and 11 of Royal Decree 958/2020 on commercial communications. As Infoplay explained, the dissolution of the Parliament leaves legislative initiatives on hold, but does not affect the regulatory regulations, which the Government can continue to approve.

Goodbye to "Play responsibly"

The main novelty is the deletion of the message "Play responsibly" from article 10.3 of Royal Decree 958/2020. It is replaced by a message on the harmful effects of gambling addiction or risky behaviour, which will be one of three below:

"Gambling addiction is a gambling risk."

"The probability of being a player who loses money is 75%."

"The losses of the total players exceed their winnings by 4 times."

The resolution justifies the change in the approach of Royal Decree 176/2023 on safer gaming environments, which transfers part of the responsibility for player protection from the participant itself to the operator.

In addition to these messages, there is a warning "Only for people over 18 years of age" and a reference to www.juegoseguro.es. As long as the medium allows it, clicking on the message will take the user to that website.

A different message depending on the medium

On television, the message will always be audible and will be "Gambling addiction is a gambling risk", at the end of the advertisement and for at least two seconds. The warning about minors may be oral or graphic, in a lower band visible throughout the advertisement.

In face-to-face advertising , only one message will be used per campaign. If the medium is too small to read easily, you can choose "Gambling is a risk". On tickets, tickets, ballots and other participation media, the messages will be at the bottom, adapted to the format.

In the rest of the media, the three messages will be shown alternately and equally in each campaign, without privileging one over the other. On the radio, the messages must appear in at least one out of every two successive spots of the same operator, and radio contests are exempt from the warning about gambling addiction.

15% bands and permanent presence on websites

In displays, banners, pop-ups, video-sharing platforms and face-to-face advertising, messages must occupy a lower band of at least 15% high and 100% wide, visible throughout commercial communication. Emails must include the official image in band format.

On the websites and apps of operators and affiliates with advertising or promotional offers, messages will be displayed in a window centered of at least 15% of the visible content for five seconds or until the user closes it. The websites and apps of the operators must also display them permanently. These obligations do not apply within the gaming environment.

The format is fully defined: black Helvetica bold text on a white background, framed in an 18-pixel black frame. The notice about minors and the reference to the website will have a font size of approximately 60% of the main message. Messages may not be modified, hidden or separated with other indications or images.

Effective after elections

The resolution will be effective sixty days after its publication, i.e. after the general elections. Advertising contracts signed before its publication may continue to be executed for three months without being adapted.

Against the resolution, there may be an optional appeal for reconsideration before the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling within a period of one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal within two months. SEE BOE