Zakonodavstvo
Spain – Spanish Prime Minister supports advertising restrictions on gambling
By Phil - 1. travnja 2019
The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) has reiterated its commitment to restrict gambling advertising and online gambling as part of the party’s manifesto for the upcoming election.
The socialist bloc included the measure signed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who could clinch a majority to get re-elected as prime minister but only if he wins the support of number of left-wing parties. The socialist leader’s PSOE party and its allies in parliament are set to get a small working majority of seats.
Sanchez became prime minister in June last year after successful no-confidence vote in his conservative predecessor, Mariano Rajoy whose party had become involved in a number of corruption scandals.
The prime minister is under increasing pressure to change advertising rules when it comes to gambling from left-wing electoral alliance the Podemos Unidos Party, which has been pushing for reform. When it comes to gambling the manifesto reads: “We will improve the prevention and attention in all types of addictions: alcohol, tobacco, toxic drugs, gambling, Internet abuse and others” and will pay “special attention to these issues related to adolescents and young people,” according to newspaper La Vanguardia.
In the agreement on the General State Budgets for 2019 – signed by Pedro Sánchez, and the Secretary General of Unidos Podemos, Pablo Iglesias – it was agreed to approve a regulation of online gambling and betting advertising on a state level similar to that of tobacco products. The advertising of all tobacco products have been prohibited since 2005 in Spain.
In the agreement, the Executive Power and Unidos Podemos warned that “in recent years online game modes have proliferated that are using very aggressive advertising formulas linked to the image of famous people, usually successful athletes, or free access bonuses.”
They also warned that “it is increasingly common that the broadcasts of football or basketball sports are flooded with ads that offer live betting, making this activity very accessible to all types of people, including minors, generating serious problems of gambling addiction.”
In November The Minister of Finance of Spain, María Jesús Montero, came out in support of restrictions on gaming advertising as well as other measures aimed at curbing gambling addiction. Speaking in the Congress of Deputies Jesús Montero said the Government would comply with the budget agreement made with the Unidos Podemos party when it came to gambling.
