The Canary Islands Government has moved its comprehensive gaming sector overhaul into the final stages of approval, submitting the new planning framework to the Advisory Council (Consejo Consultivo) for expert review. The submission follows parliamentary backing and represents a significant step toward consolidating the archipelago's fragmented gaming regulations.
On 8 June 2026, the regional government announced it would request an opinion from the Consejo Consultivo on the Project Decree that plans gaming and betting activities across the islands while modifying various related regulatory provisions. The move came after securing a favorable resolution from the Parliament of the Canary Islands (Parlamento de Canarias).
Unified Regulatory Framework
The proposed regulation aims to address the current regulatory fragmentation through a single planning instrument that provides better legal certainty for all sector stakeholders. According to the Executive, the main objective is to deliver:
“Greater legal security for all parties involved in the gaming sector”
— Canary Islands Government
The framework seeks to define more clearly the operational boundaries for companies operating or seeking to enter the Canarian market. Specifically, it aims to delimit:
“The content and extension of activity limits for those business persons who, meeting the requirements and conditions imposed by regulations, want to access the market”
— Canary Islands Government
Market Entry Clarity
Gaming Machine Regulation Updates
The decree also updates regulations governing recreational and gaming machines in the Canary Islands. The Executive justified this revision citing:
“The need to update and adapt regulations to certain realities linked to sector evolution and the management of procedures related to the matter by the competent Administration”
— Canary Islands Government
Registry and Access Control Changes
Key modifications include reforms to the Registry of Prohibited Access to Gambling. The decree establishes that inscriptions from self-prohibitions or third-party requests with legitimate interest will have indefinite duration – a provision not previously regulated explicitly. However, cancellation requests may be submitted after six months from inscription.
The text mandates that gaming rooms implement access controls preventing minors from entering premises, strengthening age verification requirements across the sector. Similar measures have been adopted by Navarra with mandatory access controls, reflecting broader regional trends toward enhanced player protection.
Compliance Preparation
Planning Timeline and Review Process
The government proposes an initial five-year validity period for the sector planning, with potential extension for another five years. This timeline will consider demographic, socioeconomic factors and geographic distribution of gaming activities, incorporating input from the Gaming and Betting Commission of the Canary Islands (Comisión del Juego y las Apuestas de Canarias).
5 years
Initial validity period for sector planning
6 months
Minimum wait before registry cancellation requests
8 June 2026
Advisory Council submission date
Regulatory Consolidation Milestone
The Consejo Consultivo submission marks one of the final phases before potential definitive approval, completing a process designed to reorganize the archipelago's gaming regulatory framework under unified planning. This consolidation addresses longstanding industry calls for regulatory clarity while maintaining appropriate consumer protections and sector oversight.
The comprehensive approach signals the Canary Islands' commitment to modernizing gaming governance while ensuring sustainable sector development aligned with evolving market realities. This reform mirrors similar efforts across Spain, with Valencia freezing gaming licenses and other regions implementing stronger regulatory frameworks.
