The Spanish government has taken a step forward as Spanish municipalities are advancing gambling regulations in their own framework.This week, an update to the Gambling Control Act was published in the Spanish official bulletin.
With this update, a bill amendment to amend the Spanish legal gambling framework has been approved.It's an ongoing process that started reforming earlier this year.
At the end of June, the House of Representatives Health and Consumer Commission (CSC for Spanish) approved a bill to update the Spanish gambling framework.As a result, the publication of this week's update solidifies the change.
Spain's gambling industry is evolving
In March, Rafael Escudero Alday, Executive Secretary for Consumer Affairs and Gaming, noted that the gaming industry is a constantly growing sector.In particular, online gambling has become very popular.
The Gambling Control Act includes in its core dissenting opinion that it protects minors and gambling participants and prevents potentially addictive behavior.Therefore, this update, published in the official bulletin, proposes to the Council of Europe by majority vote to incorporate four compromises.
It contains articles outlining the general principles of advertising, publicity and sponsorship of gambling activities.It states that the creation of commercial communication must take into account "having a sense of social responsibility without diminishing or diminishing the complexity and potential negative impact of gambling activities on people."
On the other hand, this amendment has expanded the function of the National Gambling Commission.The Committee "evaluates the effectiveness of responsible or safer gambling measures for these groups that gambling operators must develop in compliance with applicable regulatory obligations. It is necessary to protect a group of players at risk. "
It also includes provisions for a global survey of the betting market.It defines why and how to conduct research and how researchers must manage the data they collect.
The update also touched on the use of insoluble digital assets, loot boxes, and how monetization works in video games.Specifically, the government will develop policies and guidelines that cover these options.
It is the state-level gaming and video gaming sector that assists in the development of these policies.This update does not say that Spain will ban the loot box altogether, as some media have falsely reported.
Andalusia promotes responsible gambling
Responsible gambling is a recurring theme in Spain.Educational initiatives on this subject are reviving in the Andalusian Autonomous Region, located at the southernmost tip of mainland Spain.This is due to the intervention of the Andalusian Federation of Entertainment Machinery, Salons and Leisure Associations (ANMARE, acronym for "Andalusia" in Spanish) and local lawmakers.
At ANMARE's last General Assembly, the resumption of the responsible gaming certification program of the Spanish Gambling Entrepreneurs Federation was unanimously approved.This is a plan that started in 2020, but ANMARE was suspended in the same year due to COVID-19.
The Andalusian state government has reduced funding for the program as a result of the pandemic.However, Alejandr Duran, a local member of the Granada political party Unidas Podemos (we can), has succeeded in persuading the government to recover and even increase funding.
Through training, ANMARE affiliates have educated employees on the need to use recreational equipment responsibly.We have also stepped up the use of gaming machines for recreation and leisure entertainment to reduce the risk of gambling addiction.
The program will be implemented in all eight provinces of Andalusia.After that, ANMARE will train employees of hospitality companies that have installed recreational gambling machines.
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