SESPAS Calls for Public Health Perspective in Gambling Law Reform

The Spanish Society of Public Health and Sanitary Administration (SESPAS) submitted its comments on October 1, 2026, regarding the amendment project for Law 13/2011, which regulates gambling. In these contributions, SESPAS calls for strengthening the public health perspective in the text prepared by the Administration and requests that health prevention and protection be integrated into public policies related to gambling.

Public Health Perspective in Gambling Law: SESPAS's Request

SESPAS formalized its observations in the open comment process regarding the future amendment of Law 13/2011. The scientific organization argues that the regulatory review presents an opportunity to incorporate criteria for health prevention and protection in gambling regulations.

The scientific society does not detail specific measures in the public statement submitted, but insists that regulatory decisions must consider the impact of gambling from a public health perspective and that prevention measures should be part of the regulatory strategy.

How the Request Fits into the Law 13/2011 Reform Process

The amendment project for Law 13/2011 is currently in the phase of gathering contributions, and SESPAS has shared its position alongside other stakeholders. The inclusion of these comments means they become part of the administrative file that the Administration must evaluate before proceeding with the final text.

The debate over the reform, present in both online and offline gambling, faces differentiated positions among the Administration, sector-related organizations, and other groups. SESPAS joins this array of voices with a technical emphasis, aiming to incorporate public health criteria into regulatory decision-making.

Implications for Prevention and Protection Policies

SESPAS requests that the regulations consider health prevention and protection within public policies associated with gambling. This request generally implies that policymakers should assess the health impact of gambling when designing obligations for operators, public campaigns, or control measures.

The organization addresses the reform from its scientific and health mandate, reminding that the public health perspective provides elements to assess risks and define preventive actions. Its comments enter the regulatory review process as a further technical contribution to the debate.

Stakeholders in the Debate and Sectoral Scope

The process involves the Administration, sector organizations, citizen groups, and scientific societies like SESPAS. The positions differ regarding the scope that regulatory, prevention, and protection measures should have; SESPAS's contribution adds a health criterion to the overall discussion.

The outcome of the process depends on the administrative evaluation of all submitted comments and the political decisions that follow. Meanwhile, the reform remains one of the primary issues on the agenda regarding gambling in Spain, with repercussions for operators in both the online and offline environments.

What the Sector Can Expect Following SESPAS's Comments

SESPAS's comments strengthen the argument for assessing risks and incorporating health considerations into regulatory measures. In practice, this means that the final texts could include references to gambling harm prevention, health information obligations, or coordination with public health services, provided the Administration decides to adopt those recommendations.

The involvement of scientific societies in the process brings technical weight to the discussion. Operators, sector associations, and compliance officers will need to monitor the progress of the file to assess the concrete impact on operational requirements and internal prevention policies.

Next Phase and Monitoring

The contributions submitted during the process, including those from SESPAS, will become part of the documentation that the Administration must evaluate before approving the final text of the reform. The official timeline of the process depends on subsequent administrative decisions; the scientific society has complied with submitting its comments within the open timeframe for doing so.

For monitoring and sectoral analysis of the potential regulatory effects, it is advisable to keep an eye on official communications from the Administration, as well as the positions adopted by sector associations and other interested groups.

"The review of the legislation represents an opportunity to incorporate criteria related to prevention and health protection within the public policies linked to gambling," SESPAS states in its announcement, emphasizing the need to integrate a health approach into the reform.

Conclusion for Sector Readers

SESPAS's contribution introduces the voice of public health into the reform file of Law 13/2011. Operators and regulatory advisors must consider that the discussion is no longer exclusively economic or administrative: formal allegations now include health criteria that the Administration will evaluate alongside other proposals.

For more regulatory coverage, see our section on regulation and the analyses published in news regarding the ongoing reform.