SPAIN: The fiscal measures (and the arguments) that the Asociación de Operadores de Juego de la Comunidad de Madrid requests from the Ministry of Finance and Public Function

The letter begins with a reminder and thanks for the response of the Community of Madrid to the letter presented by the same association on March 19 and which indicated the very serious health situation and its economic consequences in the sector. At that time, the Community reacted with a necessary postponement of the already accrued first quarter gambling rates.

However, given the extent of the crisis, new urgent measures are requested again.

In the first place, the critical sectoral situation is reflected on since "there are no dates foreseen for the reopening of the Gaming Sector and this closure that supposes the total loss of income is further aggravated given that the economic measures adopted by the Government of the Nation are of little or no relevance and application to our Sector."

This Association "appreciates the postponement of the first quarter gambling rates already accrued, which has been accepted by the regional Administration (Comunidad de Madrid), which has postponed the payment of taxes while the state of alarm lasts, but this postponement does not reassure the Sector nor does it guarantee some the survival of the same ". That is why, in the first place, the Community of Madrid is urged to adjust the Tax Rate on Gambling as announced the Regional Minister of the Treasury, Mr. Lasquety. Something that as of today has not yet been done.

"That is why it is requested that the tax rates on gambling be waived in proportion to the months of total inactivity of the Companies and to the reality of the de-escalation and return to normality of the Sector, which will take several months after the lifting of the alarm state. "

It is reflected below on the reality of the closure of the Operating Companies, affecting the Distributing Companies, Technical Service, Manufacturers, suppliers, and other subsectors sectors that depend on the game were also in danger of survival, highlighting the sector greatly hospitality, which is obviously one of the most affected by the closure.

In addition, the number of operators who can no longer carry out the activity is estimated at 30%. For this reason, "full remission of the rate for the second quarter of the year" is requested.

"Subsidiarily, if this total cancellation is not accepted, we request that all the machines that are currently active and in a state of temporary suspension from April 1, 2020, be considered for administrative purposes, proceeding to activate them gradually as each time they are opened one of the establishments in which they are installed, accruing the rate proportionally to the days on which the machines are actually in operation ".

Also, with regard to the adoption of security measures such as the reduction of capacity, "it is requested that, considering that this represents a new cost for companies, the reduction of the share of the Tax Rate on the game, reducing proportionally to the allowed capacity or a reduction in a fixed way of 50% of the shares ".