Spanish clubs told to end sponsorship deals with gambling firms

FILE PHOTO: Spain's Consumer Affairs Minister Alberto Garzon arrives to attend the first cabinet meeting at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, January 14, 2020. REUTERS/Susana Vera

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish soccer clubs sponsored by betting companies have been advised to cancel their contracts before the end of the season in anticipation of a new law on gambling advertising, according to a letter sent by a government minister on Wednesday.

The letter, signed by minister of consumer affairs Alberto Garzon and seen by Reuters, informs the clubs that contracts with gambling companies will be prohibited once the new royal decree is approved by a cabinet meeting and written into law.