SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The executive of Madrid Province has moved to install tougher restrictions on retail gambling premises, with a view to protecting ‘vulnerable groups’.
Issuing its latest legislative update, the Madrid executive has sanctioned new demands on premises, enforcing mandatory customer ID checks and player registrations upon entering gambling establishments.
The Madrid executive has stated that new ID protocols must be implemented by all licensed retail gambling establishments’ including bookmakers, bingo, casino and arcade hall operators within a six-month period.
Further to mandatory checks, Madrid Province will enforce new rules ‘protecting minors’ from engaging with gambling establishments.
In its update, the Madrid executive signs off a ‘10-year moratorium’, forcing licensed gambling premises to move their businesses to ‘more than 100 metres’ from educational centres (universities not included in the mandate).
In addition, Madrid will prohibit gambling establishments from operating machines that engage with minors.
Enforcing its new decree, Madrid province states that it will increase penalties to €9,000 per offence, for establishments breaching its new directives. Furthermore, in cases of serious misconduct, Madrid will enforce extended operator suspensions ranging between 1-5 years.
Madrid Province maintains its tougher stance against gambling incumbents. Last month, the Assembly of Madrid instructed regional broadcaster Radio-Television Madrid (TeleMadrid) to withdraw all gambling-related advertising/marketing from its programming schedule.
