The Basque Parliament is due to debate a proposal from the Partido Popular to allow bingo games involving symbolic sums in senior centres. The proposal would create an exception to current rules, which the report says prohibit bingo for money in those venues.
The proposal could change how senior centres may run bingo under Basque gambling rules.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
A Basque Government-commissioned study found that 60% of older people’s associations in Euskadi include social bingo in their regular activities. The rate was 25% in Álava, 42% in Bizkaia and 71.2% in Gipuzkoa; the findings come amid parliamentary discussion of a possible law reform to regulate such non-profit activities.
The Basque Parliament voted to consider a bill that would exempt certain non-profit social bingo activities at older people’s centres and social organisations from general licensing rules. The motion passed with 47 votes in favour and 26 abstentions, opening the way for a legislative committee; governing parties said they would seek amendments to clarify eligible organisations and financial limits.
The Basque government said bingo involving wagers or cash prizes remains prohibited outside authorised settings under current law. Security Minister Bingen Zupiria told the Basque parliament that bingo without money may be played as a pastime; he said police visited a Bilbao seniors’ centre to provide information and opened no case or issued no fine. A PP proposal to change the law is due to go before the parliament.
The Region of Murcia’s legal council issued a favourable opinion on a draft decree revising bingo and betting regulations, while raising concerns about social impact and responsible-gambling safeguards. It highlighted gaps in access controls for people on exclusion registers; the opinion does not stop the decree’s progress.
It was reported that adult gaming centres face higher business rates on England’s high streets under plans to support other businesses. Whether bookmakers would also face an increase remained uncertain.