Ley 13/2011 de Regulación del Juego

Ley 13/2011 is the "skeleton" of Spanish regulation of state (national) level gambling. The law sets goals (protecting order, combating fraud, preventing addiction, protecting minors and the rights of players) and determines who and how can organize online games throughout Spain; at the same time, the offline market largely remains in the competence of autonomous communities.

1) Scope and architecture of supervision

Scope: All government-wide game management and operation activities conducted through electronic/telematics channels, including related advertising.

Regulator: practical administration and control is carried out by DGOJ (Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego) - a department of the Ministry of Consumption. It conducts licensing procedures, registries, supervision and sanctions.

Delimitation: national online - by Ley 13/2011; offline games and a significant part of the ground infrastructure are run by autonomies.

2) Titles and licensing: "general" + "singular"

• General licenses (licencias generales) - open access to modalities: apuestas (bets), concursos (contests) and otros juegos (other games). Issued according to a competitive procedure without a strict limit on the number of operators (unless otherwise justified by public interest).
• Singular licenses (licencias singulares) - required for each specific type of game inside the obtained general license; parameters are determined by basic orders for games. Terms - usually 1-5 years with an extension.

3) Technical and organizational requirements (by-laws 2011)

• RD 1613/2011 - technical requirements for systems: security, access control, reporting, logging, certification and audit of game systems.
• RD 1614/2011 - the procedure for issuing licenses, the structure of contracts with players, the device of the "game account," registration of users, the duties of the operator and participant.

4) Advertising and communications (from 2020)

The advertising frame for licensed operators is fixed by RD 958/2020: protection of minors, identification of the advertiser, format/time restrictions, requirements for warnings, etc. DGOJ publishes relevant explanations.

5) "Juego más seguro": responsible play measures (2023 +)

RD 176/2023 implements in detail the "safe play" policy: segments of vulnerable players (including young people), early risk detection protocols, user contacts, interface design, deposit/activity control and reporting. This is a direct development of Ley 13/2011.

6) Self-exclusion: RGIAJ

The Central Registro General de Interdicciones de Acceso al Juego (RGIAJ) is an auto-exclusion register introduced by Ley 13/2011 and administered by DGOJ. Inclusion in the RGIAJ blocks access to licensed online operators nationwide; autonomies synchronize their offline registries.

7) Procedural "supports" for the operator

1. Pass the competition for a general license (apuestas/concursos/otros juegos) and then get singular for the desired types.

2. Comply with RD 1613/2011 (systems, security, reporting) and RD 1614/2011 (registration, contract, player account).

3. Comply with RD 958/2020 advertising rules + subsequent clarifications.

4. Implement "safe play" measures under RD 176/2023 (risk-based monitoring, player interaction, restriction design).

5. Integrate with RGIAJ and execute access blocking decisions for self-excluded individuals.

8) Sanctions and enforcement

For violation of the regime (work without a license, non-compliance with restrictions, etc.), serious fines and blocking are provided; DGOJ regularly shuts down unlicensed sites and fines violators.

9) How to read Ley 13/2011 'by layer'

Law (Ley 13/2011) - goals, scope, title types, basic principles of player protection and the order of contests.

2011 technical regulations - specific requirements for operator systems and procedures.

Advertising block 2020 - details how you can talk to the audience.

Safe Play 2023 - Uniform RG and Risk Prevention Standards.

10) Short compliance checklist (DE-facto)

Licenses: general + corresponding singular for each type of game.

Systems: compliance with RD 1613/2011 (security, control, audit).

User and contract: RD 1614/2011 (account, identification, accounting).

Advertising: under RD 958/2020 and DGOJ clarifications.

Responsible play: RD 176/2023, integration of RG metrics, intervention scenarios.

RGIAJ: technical integration and daily sampling.

Bottom line. Ley 13/2011 is the "operating system" of the Spanish market: the law sets the principles and titles, and royal decrees and orders fill them with practical content - from technical security and identification to advertising and responsible play. For sustainable operation in Spain, the operator needs not only a set of licenses, but also a compliance-by-design culture built into the product and processes.