Spain to tighten gambling ID checks to protect minors
Spain is planning to introduce stricter ID verification requirements for gambling operators to prevent minors from participating in betting activities. Ahead of the announcement of this measure, the countrys was preparing a report that was expected to show a decline in problem gambling rates and under-18 involvement.
The Socialist Parliamentary Group (SPG), which represents members of the Socialist Workers Party, put forward the proposal. The decision was influenced by a 2022 national study on addictions, which found that 21.5% of students aged 14 to 18 had gambled for moneyeither online or in personwithin the previous year.
SPG highlighted that gambling participation among minors tends to increase with age, stressing the importance of early intervention to prevent long-term social and personal harm. [The proposal] urges the government to implement identification systems in gambling machines and slots to control the access of minors and self-excluded people, as well as to promote a design and structure of online games that are less addictive, an official communique stated.
Earlier on , the Joint Commission for the Study of Addiction Problems focused on tackling addiction issuesreviewed and approved the amendments. The proposal will now move to Spains Congress of Deputies for debate and a vote before being passed on to the Senate for final approval. However, a date for the discussion in the Congress has not yet been set.
Spain currently requires online gambling providers to undergo identity checks in accordance with know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) rules. The new regulations would apply these requirements to land-based gambling establishments, resulting in tougher enforcement.
The drive for more stringent regulations is in line with worldwide patterns for controlling access to gaming. Due to worries that early gambling exposure raises the risk of long-term addiction, some nations, such as the Netherlands, have started tightening their regulations.
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