The decree prevents the concentration of gambling venues, regulates the distance of gaming halls from educational centers, and extends the age of protection from six years old.
Spain.- The Parliament of the Canary Islands ratified last Friday, September 6, the decree law of urgent measures for the reduction of temporality, efficient management, and quality in public employment in the Canary Islands, as well as for the protection of children in the field of gambling and betting, approved by the Government Council, proposed by the Minister of Presidency, Public Administrations, Justice and Security, Nieves Lady Barreto.
Nieves Lady Barreto defended the need to have a decree law to be able to adopt measures that are urgent and necessary to solve current problems and expedite improvements in the Public Function "because it is necessary to start the process of transforming the Public Administration and address the necessary changes to adapt it to reality and the needs of the population."
The decree law also adopts a set of "urgent and unavoidable measures" to guarantee the protection of children in the field of gambling and betting activities in the Canary Islands through Decree Law 7/2024, of July 31, approved by the Government Council and published on Friday in BOC.
See also: The Canary Islands will modify the gaming regulations in 2025
On the other hand, the regulations allow for faster action and correct the situation generated by a judicial ruling that enabled the installation of gaming halls less than 300 meters from early childhood and primary education centers, once the moratorium in the gaming sector ended on December 31, 2023.
The final provision seventh of this Decree Law modifies Law 8/2010, of July 15, on Games and Betting to regulate the area of influence in which establishments for the practice of gaming cannot be located due to the prior existence of an educational center or a permanent center for child care.
The prohibition will be extended to bars, cafeterias, or similar establishments, located in the said area of influence that do not have gaming as their main activity.
For the purposes provided, educational centers and child care centers are considered those that, according to their sectoral legislation, are registered as such in the official registers of the corresponding sectoral Administration and whose potential users are between the ages of 6 and 17, both inclusive.
An article on the area of influence between recreational and gaming halls and bingos to avoid concentrations is also added. Specifically, the decree law states that the area of influence in which recreational and gaming halls cannot be located, whether by new installation or by relocation of those authorized, due to the prior existence of another recreational and gaming hall, will be within a radius of action of 200 meters in a straight line, measured on a plan, from each of the access doors of the hall intended to be installed.
The two establishments were located on the sidewalk, obstructing pedestrian passage. In addition, they did not have a license and were close to educational centers.
Dominican Republic.- The National District City Hall and the Directorate of Casinos and Gambling of the Ministry of Finance conducted an operation in which they closed and demolished two betting shops on Albert Thomas Avenue, in the capital, Santo Domingo.
In addition to operating without licenses, the betting shops obstructed pedestrian passage, as they were illegally located on the sidewalks. They were also located near educational centers, thus posing a potential risk to young people.
The head of the Directorate of Advocacy and Use of Public Spaces, José Aníbal Sanz, explained that the operation was carried out in line with the policies of the mayor Carolina Mejía and her focus on reclaiming spaces for the safety and enjoyment of the citizens.
"The National District City Hall continues to promote a more orderly, accessible city oriented towards the well-being of the community," Sanz stated.
See also: Dominican Republic: Fenabanca denounces illegal operations and raids by the Directorate of Casinos and Gambling
This type of operation reflects the vision of the municipal management, focused on urban transformation and respect for the regulations that govern the use of public spaces.
