Spanish online operator association Jdigital has signed an agreement with the Spanish Federation of Rehabilitated Gamblers (Fejar), under which the association’s members will incorporate a free phone number for assistance and therapy on their platforms, managed by Fejar.
The first phase of the agreement will see eight of the association’s operator members include the number on their websites.
The agreement was signed on International Responsible Gambling Day (20 February), and makes the requirement signed into Spanish legislation to provide resources to those at risk of gambling related harm into a reality, Jdigital said.
The first operators to include the number are Codere, Ebingo, Entain, Flutter Entertainment, Sisal, Sportium, Wanabet and Winamax.
The service will provide help, information and treatment to gamblers and will be available 24/7 throughout the year.
Calls will be answered by trained specialists in the treatment of gambling disorders, who will explain to each user whether they would benefit from the provision of information or if they should be referred to the nearest association to evaluate their behaviour or receive specific treatment.
Fejar will also develop biannual reports reflecting the volume of calls handled through the hotline, and analyse any relevant information that will help in studying players’ behaviour in order to prevent and reduce problems related to gambling.
According to Article 30 of Spain’s Royal Decree on Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities, operators must create direct links to information services on responsible gambling.
The links must be provided in a position which is clearly visible on the website, offering information on gambling disorders, and providing assistance in relation to responsible gambling.
“We are very proud of joining forces with Fejar in the fight against problematic gambling in Spain”, Andrea Vota, director general of Jdigital, said.
“Jdigital’s strong commitment with online gambling users and society in general, as well as with our goal of promoting safe and responsible environments for online gambling activity as a responsible form of entertainment.”
Maxi Gutiérrez, president of Fejar, said: “We are pleased to have signed this agreement with Jdigital and some of the main online gambling companies in the country, because it highlights the importance of joining efforts on the fight against problematic gambling, a task that has been Fejar’s main goal since its foundation in 1991.”
Figures published in January showed that Spain’s national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling saw a 12% increase in registrations during 2020, to 56,329.
The nation’s Ministry for Consumer Affairs recently set out its priorities to further tighten gambling regulations in the coming year, making consumer protection its key priority following significant changes in 2020.
