Jdigital: treat unlicensed betting on prediction markets as illegal
The Spanish Association of Digital Gaming (Jdigital) has expressed its firm stance on the expansion of platforms operating outside the regulatory framework in Spain. The online gambling employers' association has warned that bets linked to so-called prediction markets should be considered and sanctioned as illegal gambling when they do not have the proper state authorization. This concern was the central focus of a recent working meeting between representatives of the entity and Senator Elena Castillo, from the Popular Parliamentary Group, where the impact of the black market and the evolution of new verticals that challenge current regulations were analyzed.
One of the critical points highlighted by Jdigital is the increasing difficulty in differentiating between certain financial products and traditional online gambling modalities. According to the association, many of these new prediction platforms operate in a gray area that allows the offering of bets on future events without complying with the strict technical and fiscal obligations that authorized operators do adhere to. In this regard, the employers' association has expressed its expectation that the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) will intensify the monitoring of these activities and apply strong sanctions to protect the integrity of the regulated market.
Discrepancies over the tightening of anti-money laundering regulations
The Spanish Government's regulatory agenda for 2026 has also been analyzed by the organization. Jdigital has questioned the suitability of the Draft Royal Decree on the Prevention of Money Laundering, which introduces new administrative burdens for companies in the sector. The employers' association argues that the proposed measures lack sufficient technical justification and that the text does not respect the principle of proportionality necessary for the proper functioning of the industry.
For the association, the approach adopted in this new decree replaces a model based on specific risk analysis with a series of generalized controls that are more restrictive and less efficient for legal operators. Jdigital argues that the sector has already demonstrated its commitment to transparency and that the imposition of additional procedures without clear justification only hinders daily operations without providing real benefits to the security of the national financial system.
Categorical rejection of the centralized joint deposit limit system
In the same vein of defending market efficiency, the association has once again positioned itself against the joint deposit limit system planned in the 2026 Regulatory Plan. This mechanism, which is currently under evaluation by the Council of State, aims to create an interconnected control between all operators to centrally limit users' spending capacity.
Jdigital considers this measure unnecessary, given that the Spanish market already has the highest consumer protection standards in the region. The employers' association argues that the individual control tools currently applied by operators are sufficient to guarantee a safe gaming environment. The implementation of an interconnected system, according to the organization, would represent an excessive intrusion into the management of companies and the autonomy of users, without it having been conclusively demonstrated that this type of global restriction is more effective than personalized responsible gambling policies.
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