The €20,000 contribution received at ICE Barcelona 2026 helped FEJAR launch the inaugural Ibero-American Conference on Responsible Gambling, bringing regulators together to strengthen knowledge sharing, prevention and player protection.
The Spanish Federation of Rehabilitated Gamblers (FEJAR) has highlighted the long-term impact of the €20,000 donation it received through the ICE Barcelona 2026 Sustainable Gambling Zone, saying the funding has helped create an international platform for cooperation on responsible gambling and player protection.
FEJAR was one of four safer gambling organisations to receive €20,000 during ICE Barcelona 2026. Rather than limiting the impact to direct financial assistance, the organisation used the contribution to support the launch of the first Ibero-American Conference on Responsible Gambling.
The conference brought together gambling regulators from Spain, Chile, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Portugal, providing participants with an opportunity to exchange knowledge and discuss approaches to responsible gambling across different jurisdictions.
Building International Cooperation
The inaugural conference was designed to provide regulators with a platform to compare strategies, examine shared challenges and identify good practices that could strengthen responsible gambling policies.
For FEJAR, bringing representatives from several jurisdictions together also demonstrated the value of international cooperation when addressing gambling-related harm.
FEJAR President Gerardo Rodríguez believes the initiative has helped establish the organisation as an important forum for responsible gambling expertise across the Ibero-American community.
The conference also allowed participants to explore how different regulatory systems are responding to player protection challenges and where greater cooperation could contribute to improved prevention measures.
€20,000 Donation Supports Responsible Gambling Initiative
The funding provided to FEJAR came from contributions made by 11 gaming industry brands supporting the Sustainable Gambling Zone.
The participating companies were Acordjoc, Betsson Group, BGaming, Cirsa, Flutter, Grupo Orenes, Merkur, Merkur Dosniha, Novomatic, Novomatic Spain and Zitro.
At ICE Barcelona 2026, a record €80,000 was distributed among four safer gambling organisations. FEJAR, Proyecto FES, BetBlocker and Fundación Convivir each received €20,000 to support their respective initiatives.
The contributions increased the cumulative amount donated by industry supporters through the ICE initiative since 2019 to €462,500.
Investment in Knowledge and Prevention
Rodríguez stressed that the importance of FEJAR’s donation extends beyond its monetary value.
He pointed to the Sustainable Gambling Zone’s support as a positive indication of the importance being placed on knowledge, prevention and dialogue within the gambling sector.
According to Rodríguez, investment in knowledge is essential for developing a better understanding of gambling-related risks, assessing whether existing measures are effective and identifying new approaches to prevention and player protection.
FEJAR also views initiatives such as the ICE Research Institute as an indication of increasing interest in research, evidence generation and informed discussion around issues affecting the long-term development of the gambling industry.
Independent research and rigorous analysis can provide regulators, operators and other stakeholders with stronger evidence when developing responsible gambling strategies.
Shared Responsibility for Sustainable Gambling
FEJAR’s experience with the ICE Barcelona donation also demonstrates how cooperation between the gambling industry, regulators, researchers and safer gambling organisations can support practical initiatives.
The Sustainable Gambling Zone has developed into a prominent part of ICE Barcelona, providing a dedicated environment where organisations working in player protection can engage with regulators, operators, suppliers and other industry stakeholders.
For FEJAR, the €20,000 contribution has helped turn this engagement into a tangible international project.
By bringing regulators from Europe and Latin America together through the Ibero-American Conference on Responsible Gambling, the organisation has created an opportunity for continued dialogue on prevention, regulation and player protection.
The initiative reinforces the view that the long-term sustainability of the gambling sector requires shared responsibility and continued attention to individuals affected by gambling-related problems.
FEJAR believes that supporting research, knowledge exchange and collaboration will remain important as stakeholders seek to develop more effective approaches to responsible gambling and harm prevention across the Ibero-American region.
