CeJuego forum calls for gambling law reform to resume to fight clandestine activity

The first CeJuego forum, held in Madrid on 15 October, brought together representatives of regional administrations, trade unions, specialists in problem gambling and industry professionals to discuss the sector's main regulatory and social challenges. Participants called for the next legislative term to resume reform of Spain's gambling law to improve the fight against clandestine gambling and to move towards evidence-based regulation, according to an account of the event.

During a round table on new regulatory and social challenges, Carlos Duelo, corporate director of institutional relations at Cirsa, warned of the possible effects of overly restrictive regulation. He said that the more regulation is imposed on the sector, the more the door is left open for consumers to go to illegal operators, because what they want in the end is to play. The debate also covered the division of powers between the autonomous communities over land-based gambling, an activity the source says accounts for 0.8% of national GDP. Participants stressed the need to listen to the different agents involved and to take account of data and the sector's experience when designing new regulatory measures.

In the closing session, CeJuego director general Alejandro Landaluce called for collaboration between public administrations and the different actors in the industry to combat clandestine gambling, which he described as the true common enemy. He also called for all agents in the sector to be heard in the development of public policy. The forum also focused on the activity's economic and employment contribution: according to data presented during the day, the sector generates close to 50,000 direct jobs and 180,000 indirect jobs, and contributes €1.024bn in taxes.