Spanish Laws on Online Gambling
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Spanish Laws on Online Gambling - Be Safe When Travelling
12/4/23, 11:57 AM ByCanarian Weekly Travel
When we think of Spain, images of historic architecture, gorgeous beaches, Flamenco dances, and exquisite culinary art come to mind. The country, however, is famous for its glamorous and vibrant gaming industry. If you are planning to visit this beautiful country, you might wonder about the various regulations relating to gambling activities.
This article dives into the world of Spanish gambling to help you understand the country's betting landscape.
Spanish Gambling Scene
Spain has a range of excellent gambling sites that provide extensive gaming services to residents and tourists. It has diverse options to serve every taste.
With so many gaming options, finding betting promotions online is easy. All you need is to choose the right bookmakers. Select bonuses from trustworthy betting sites, preferably bookies with coverage for football and other popular sports in Spain.
In addition to online betting sites, Spain has outstanding land-based casinos worth visiting. It has over 40 casinos spread across the country. They offer games like slot machines, Poker, Roulette, and Blackjack.
Casino Gran Madrid and Casino Barcelona are among the most popular establishments in the country that deliver an upscale gaming experience and a taste of the local gambling scene.
Spanish Gambling Legislations
Gambling is legal in Spain. If you visit the country, you can enjoy the convenience of gaming from your beach villa, hotel room, and pretty anywhere you want.
The government has regulated online gaming since 2012, This ensures that only licensed operators can offer their services in the country. In addition, this promotes secure and fair gaming. That said, below are some notable laws.
Licensing and Regulation
The country expects all bookmakers and casinos seeking to operate within its territories to be licensed and regulated. This ensures you can play fair games and that your financial and personal data is safe.
Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), better known in English as the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gaming Activities, is responsible for licensing and regulating Spanish Casinos.
Age Restrictions
Any form of online gambling is illegal for individuals under 18 years. Gambling platforms are expected to confirm that anyone creating a gaming account on their websites is 18 or older.
You will be asked to provide certain documents, like your identity card, that the casino can use to verify your age. Online casinos strictly enforce this law as part of their responsible gaming measures to prevent minors from gambling.
Responsible Gaming Laws
Online bookmakers and casinos are readily available in Spain. The advent of casinos has been phenomenal worldwide, but even so, they are increasing risks for gambling addictions.
Spain is very aware of this, and to ensure a safe gambling environment, it's committed to fostering healthy gaming. All casinos are expected to have responsible gambling guidelines and strategies.
Setting gaming limits and budgets are among the responsible gaming measures that casinos encourage. Also, they encourage those struggling with gaming addiction to take a break from gambling.
Online casinos work with institutions like the Institute of Policy and Family Studies and the Spanish Federation of Rehabilitated that offer support and resources to help you with gaming-related problems.
Legal Gambling Activities
Casinos or bookmakers in Spain can receive licenses for sports betting, casino games, and lotteries. Most forms of online gambling are legal according to Spanish laws, making the industry quite diverse.
Licensed casinos offer an array of all the games you can imagine, including online slots, card and table games, bingo, keno, and live dealer games, among others. What makes this more interesting is that you get multiple variants for each group.
Sports betting encompasses basketball, football, cycling, tennis, golf and many more. Some sites offer betting on sports unique to Spain, including Bubble Football, Quidditch, Bossaball, and underwater hockey.
Taxes on Your Winnings
One notable thing to remember while gaming in Spain is that it has a tax on winnings that exceed €2,500. The tax rate is not fixed; it ranges between 20% and 47%. The amount you will have won determines the tax percentage.
The tax applies to tourists as well. So, you should be prepared for a deduction of your winnings as tax. However, if your winnings are below €2,500, you don't have to worry about this since the rule doesn't apply.
Payment Methods Accepted at Spanish Casinos
Spain has a booming online gaming industry. It serves thousands daily, and gambling websites work with numerous payment methods to ensure reliability in banking. Also, they ensure their selected service providers are secure.
With rising cases of cyber insecurity, online gaming platforms need secure payment providers that allow them to safeguard their customers' data. Trust is key to succeeding, and one-way casinos achieve it is by having safe options.
You can fund your account or request winnings using all the popular debit or credit cards. VISA and MasterCard are widely accepted. Alternatively, you can use digital wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Apple Pay.
Crypto, including Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin, and Bitcash, is another payment mode gaining fame among Spanish Casinos. Cryptocurrencies deliver extremely secure transactions that make them attractive to casinos.
Popular Promotions at Spanish Casinos
Now that you know online gambling is legal in Spanish, below are some bonuses that Spanish Casinos offer.
Welcome Promotions
As a newly registered user, you will receive a welcome package from your casino. Simply, this is an offer given to new customers as a welcome perk.
Mainly, the offer takes the form of a match deposit bonus, which means the casino matches the amount you deposit with a given percentage.
The offer has a maximum amount. For instance, you might find a phrase like '100% welcome bonus up to €1,500. This example indicates that the maximum bonus you can receive is €1,500.
Free Spins
Almost every Spanish casino has free spins. These bonuses allow you to play popular or new slots for free. For instance, if you get 50 free spins on Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, you can spin the slot 50 times at no additional charge.
Loyalty/VIP Bonuses
Spanish casinos reward their loyal customers with exciting bonuses and promotions, including regular daily and weekly perks. VIP members enjoy other benefits, such as speedy withdrawals and personal account managers.
Tournaments
If you visit a Spanish Casino, remember to check if it has an ongoing tournament you can join. These promotions are great because they give you a chance to win prizes for beating other players on the leaderboard.
