Operator News
Spain – Madrid workers association slams attack on jobs by new legislation
By Phil - 12 January 2021
The Gaming Workers Association of Madrid (ATJUCAM) have united in defence of their jobs ‘against the attack by the new laws that are progressing’ which will cause the ‘total destruction of our jobs.’
The new legislation prepared by the executive of Isabel Díaz Ayuso will see gambling venues close if there are near an educational center whilst ‘it is possible to buy tobacco, alcohol, a coupon or a scratch card from kiosks near a school.’
“We do not understand why they intend to close an activity like ours, which are absolutely monitored by means of access control and ID registration,” the association said.
ATJUCAM spokesperson, Iñaki Angulo, said: “If the law is approved as it is, the vast majority of the existing gambling establishments will disappear and with them, our jobs. It is unreasonable for a company that has a license and meets all the requirements to be forced to close by arbitrary criteria and without any evidence or report backed by objective data. This is not Venezuela.”
More than 363,000 are unemployed in the Community of Madrid.
Mr. Angulo added: “The workers of ATJUCAM demand from President Ayuso an effort of social concertation that allows us to maintain our jobs. We are in favour of measures that establish greater control and effective protection for players, as well as better planning long requested by the sector for years. What is not admissible is to close hundreds of companies due to self-interested pressure from populist parties that only want to replace the game managed by private companies with the public game.”
He added that the bill promoted by the Community of Madrid ‘does not meet new planning criteria and is not based on any type of objective evidence or expert opinion from a medical / health point of view.’
“It is surprising that the regional government of Madrid, which proclaims itself a defender of market freedom, applies discriminatory treatment to private gaming companies in Madrid since it requires them to adopt measures that do not they apply to the premises and sellers of lotteries and other games under public management,” he said.
