In a significant move, the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda has announced the final sanctions for online betting and gambling infringements during the second semester of 2023 in Spain. A total of 17 operators have been penalized for committing serious or very serious violations, with fines surpassing €81 million (81,150,000 euros).
The Crackdown on Unlawful Operators
The crackdown targeted both licensed and unlicensed operators. Here are the key details:
Very Serious Infractions
Ten operators faced the brunt of the penalties, with their websites being shut down. These infractions were considered very serious. Among the affected operators were:
- Organización Nacional de Discapacitados Españoles y Europeos (ONDEE): This organization received the highest penalty of €35 million. Additionally, ONDEE faces a disqualification period of four years.
- Rabadi, Uno Digital Media, Eight Stars, Mrsloty Games Tech, Entretenimiento Rojo, Onyxion Malta, Trw Corporate, Vdsoft&Script Development, and Uniquegame: These online gambling operators, operating without a license in Spain, each received fines of €5 million.
In total, the very serious penalties amounted to a staggering €80 million.
Serious Infractions
Seven licensed operators also faced sanctions for committing infractions specified in Law 13/2011 on gambling regulation. Although they had licenses to operate in Spain, they still violated certain rules. Notable companies among the sanctioned operators include:
- Gamesys
- 888
- Esgaming
- Codere
These seven operators will collectively pay economic sanctions totaling €1,150,000.
Transparency and Accountability
Once notified to the interested parties, both the confirmed serious and very serious infractions will be published on the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) website. This transparency ensures accountability and serves as a deterrent to unlawful practices.
