Spanish opposition party calls for more problem gambling funding

Spain’s opposition party, the Partido Popular, has called for some of the country’s gambling tax take to be diverted towards supporting gambling addiction diagnosis and therapies.

The proposal forms part of a new legislation being presented by the Joint Commission for Study of the Problem of Drugs tomorrow morning.

One Spanish gaming exec speaking on condition of anonymity, told EGR the proposal “seems like a sensible thing to do, given that there is a special tax on gambling being charged on the grounds that the activity creates expenses for the government. But none of that money is being used to address problem gambling.”

The PP has also urged the government to ban sports sponsorships by gambling operators and place a limit on free bonuses.

A statement released by the party said it was hoping to “accelerate the processes of helping people who have a pathological gambling addiction.”

“All these measures are aimed at fighting gambling addiction, especially in the segment of the youngest population,” the statement said.

The Joint Commission will hear from the technical director of the Spanish Federation of Rehabilitated Players of Chance, Juan Jose Lamas Alonso, and two university professors of psychology who will discuss the effects of gambling addiction.

The PP party was ousted from government earlier this month amid an ongoing corruption case surrounding the former prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, and a number of his cabinet members.

Correction: This article was updated to reflect the fact the proposal called for a diversion of existing taxes to problem gambling treatment rather than the Creation of a new tax