Spain appoints Andrés Barragán Urbiola as dedicated gambling minister 

Urbiola has been named secretary general for consumption and gaming.

Spain.- The Council of Ministers has appointed Andrés Barragán Urbiola as secretary general for consumption and gaming. The new position specifically naming gaming as part of the remit remains under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. 

The minister for consumer affairs and social rights, Pablo Bustinduy, had requested the introduction of a dedicated post to oversee gaming policy and personally selected Urbiola, who has a background in economic policy and financial analysis. At the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business, Urbiola oversaw the introduction of support measures for businesses during the pandemic.

Urbiola will oversee the ongoing update of gambling laws in Spain, which has said it aims to have some of the strictest gambling regulations in Europe. The remit was inherited by Bustinduy in November when he took over from Alberto Garzon, the economist who spearheaded a major reform of gambling regulations from 2020.

Garzon’s reforms included the Royal Decree on Gambling Advertising, which banned betting sponsorships in sport and restricting gambling advertising to nighttime. Last year’s Royal Decree on Responsible Gaming Environments is to introduce a centralised data registry and risk profiles for younger players.