Recently, some of the gaming facilities located in Spain have come under increased criticism due to the fact that underaged individuals have been able to illegally access the activities offered in these venues.
The National Police is trying to stop the practice by rising the number of inspections carried out in local casinos, with more minors have been trying to get to such facilities. Reportedly, underaged players have managed to enter gambling premises in Oviedo, including five bars offering slot machines, by using fake ID cards. The news raised the local authorities’ concerns which have decided to put more efforts into preventing this from happening.
The revised inspection plan of gambling premises provides detailed information about the way authorities are supposed to act in terms of children who are caught in the act while playing the slot machines.
Currently, under the existing gambling legislation in the country, Spanish casino venues, betting outlets and bingo halls are required to check the national identity documents of players who want to gamble. In addition, premises’ owners and managers also have to request players to provide them with relevant documents in case they have any suspicions about a customer’s age.
Raising Concerns about Children Gambling Participation in Spain
Over the past few years, Spanish authorities have been concerned about the increased gambling participation rates of children. As revealed by the Addictive Behaviors Research Group of the University of Oviedo’s Department of Psychology, a 2015 survey carried out among 1,400 children aged from 14 to 18 who live in the Principality of Asturias showed that 1.2% of the respondents have faced gambling problems.
According to researchers, the survey results show there is clearly a problem with children gambling participation rates, but they could not predict how would the problem evolve in the years to come. The above-mentioned survey also showed that young individuals prefer taking part in lotteries and sports betting. At the time when the results were revealed to wider public, the Addictive Behaviors Research Group warned that online gambling could make it easier for underaged persons to place bets, which on the other hand could result in further increase in children gambling rates.
Previously, Máximo Enrique Gutiérrez, the president of LARPA (Ludópatas Asociados en Rehabilitación del Principado de Asturias), has warned that competent regulators need to be aware of the fact that gambling addiction rates in the country had increased, and that the 2015 survey results are alarming. As far as children participation in gambling activities in Spain is concerned, Mr. Gutiérrez revealed that approximately 90% of underage players use fake ID cards and called for stricter measures to be taken by the authorities.
For the time being, Spain is considered one of the largest gambling European markets. All forms of gambling are currently regulated, with online gambling being put under strict regulatory framework allowing foreign operators to offer their services to local customers.
The post Spanish National Police Initiates Casino Raids under Suspicions for Underaged Gambling appeared first on Casino News Daily.
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