Only the Autonomous Community of Galicia prohibits the presence of minors under 12 years of age at bullfighting shows, as stated in law 10/2017, of December 27, on public shows and recreational activities. Article 16 of the regulation expressly establishes this, and adds that, in general, the access of minors to establishments open to the public “is subject to the regulations governing the comprehensive protection of children and adolescents.” .
A few months before the promulgation of this Galician ordinance, the Parliament of the Balearic Islands approved law 9/2017 of August 3, regulating bullfighting and protecting animals in this community, which in its article 12 It prohibited “people under 18 years of age from attending bullrings when bullfighting shows are held. Inside and outside the bullring, and in a visible place, a sign will be installed warning that the show may offend the sensitivity of the spectators”; a ban that has now been eliminated with the votes of the PP and Vox, so that those under 18 years of age and those under 16 will be able to attend the bullfighting celebrations if they are accompanied by an adult.
No current bullfighting regulations (neither the state nor those approved by Andalusia, the Basque Country, Aragon, Castilla y León and Navarra) refer to a prohibition of this type, and only the Basque one indicates in its article 102 that “people under 16 “They will only be able to attend general bullfighting shows as spectators accompanied by people of legal age.”
The national regulations, which govern bullfighting events throughout the country, except in the aforementioned communities, dedicates Chapter II to the rights and duties of spectators, but does not make any distinction based on age in its articles. Nor do regional regulations establish differences between adults and minors, although Navarra points out that “in traditional popular shows, under no circumstances will the participation of minors under 16 years of age be allowed, who may only attend as spectators. The company may raise the minimum age of participation to 18 years.”
The same state regulation establishes in article 6 of the first chapter that to bullfight in public “it will be required to be at least 16 years old.” On the other hand, the law for the protection of the rights and welfare of animals, approved by the national Parliament in March 2023, does not affect bullfighting shows as they are protected as “cultural heritage.”