NEWS
11 June 2020
Spain lifts temporary gambling advertisement restrictions as La Liga returns
By Iqbal Johal

The publication of Royal Decree Law (RDL) 21/2020 in the Official State Gazette confirms the derogation of article 37 of Decree Law 11/2020, which came into effect on 3 April.

The measures had forced operators to drastically limit online gambling marketing activities while Spain entered a strict lockdown.

Operators were only able to broadcast gambling communication and adverts between 1am and 5am. With all major Spanish sport suspended in March, this virtually prohibited all gambling advertising from being broadcast.

Individual email and digital communications were also banned for the period, so too offers and free bets.

But the second section of the fifth final provision of RDL 21/2020 lifts these restrictions from 11 June, to coincide with La Liga’s return on the same day, with Sevilla hosting Real Betis behind closed doors; the last match played in Spain’s top flight was 10 March.

The lifting of restrictions comes as the Spanish cabinet approves decrees for ‘new normality,’ while Spain’s ‘State of Alarm’ is scheduled to be lifted on 21 June.