The Minister of Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzón, has been satisfied after the approval in the Council of Ministers of the Royal Decree of Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities and announced that his office is working on other projects related to gaming such as healthy and responsible consumption.
In an interview with El Confidencial, Alberto Garzón referred to land-based gaming, under the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Communities, and stated that they are working on a Central Registry of Self-Prohibited. Likewise, he reported that "a strategy to coordinate public policies in the autonomous communities, based on the principles contained in this approved standard, is currently being developed," something that undoubtedly proves the minister's tendency to engage in powers that do not correspond to his office.
On the other hand, Alberto Garzón, explained that the severe measures contained in the Royal Decree respond to the growing social demand in recent years. In addition, he explained that in the last three years the number of new players between 18 and 25 years old increased from 30% to 40%.
In reference to the sponsorship contracts between football teams and betting houses, he commented that with the publication in the State official Newsletter the subscription of new contracts was prohibited and it was established that those that were in force at the time of approval of the law, they have a transition period until the end of the season. On this matter, he was very critical of those teams that recently reached agreements with gaming companies despite knowing that the Royal Decree was about to be approved.
Also, when asked about the 150 million euros per year in advertising that the media will no longer receive, he commented that they have "based the rule on the defense of public health above any other criteria" and stressed that it’s about the strictest and most radical legislation in the European Union.
When speaking of the differentiated treatment for ONCE and Lotteries in the Royal Decree, he said that it’s due to "the nature of their activity." In this way, he defended that it is deferred gambling and that "instant gambling is the most dangerous and the one that can cause more cases of compulsive consumption."
In this regard we must take a parenthesis and remember that ONCE has instant games known as Scratchcards and even so, they will not suffer from the severe restrictions applied to the private gaming sector.
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