The General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) in Spain has moved to gain a deeper insight into the prevalence of problem gambling and how it transcends into other areas of fraud.
A myriad of experts have been brought in to deep dive into the impact of problem gambling and whether it can lead to other avenues of criminal activity.
Central to the discussions was the significance of identity theft as data was divulged from the the Protocol for Action for Impersonated Taxpayers, which revealed the extent to which tax payers were being impacted by identity theft fuelled by problem gambling.
The meeting featured insights from the Responsible Gambling Advisory Council (CAJR) and the medical field of the Madrid City Council, as stakeholders unite in a bid to mitigate problem gambling rates in Spain.
Also at the forefront of discussions was the impact of tipsters when it comes to influencing younger players. The meeting is seeking to further discover whether the rise in tipsters runs in opposition to that of securing a safe industry.
Earlier in the year, the Spanish regulator detailed stark warnings on identity theft as it commenced with the process of a collaborative effort alongside the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT) and the State Security Forces, to tackle the rise in the sector.
PACS revealed at the time that 5% of all individuals who won more than €100 through online gaming had been victims of identity theft – a figure which prompted action from the regulators.
Impersonation via ID theft has emerged as a new liability for the AEAT following the introduction of updated income tax requirements. Under the revised rules, Spanish taxpayers earning over €22,000 annually must now declare gambling winnings of €300 or more—a significant reduction from the previous disclosure threshold of €1,000.
Furthermore, there has also been a wider clampdown from the DGOJ on illicit actors in the sector – with it issuing a penalty to 14 online operators totalling over €77m for offering services without a licence.
The sanctioned companies include: Adonio, Chestoption, FGS Software, Group Game, Investan, Lama Tech, Magicwin Games Tech, Mibs, Pennytech, Spicyjackpots, Techsolutions, Tinietech, Winbet, and Wot.
In addition to the financial penalties, the DGOJ has blocked all 14 operators from Spain’s iGaming market for a period of two years.
A DGOJ spokesperson stated: “We will not hesitate to take firm action against companies that endanger consumers or operate outside the law.”
