Congress dismisses gaming reform not fitting customer service law
The comprehensive reform of the 2011 Gambling Law promoted by the Spanish Government was ultimately excluded from the new Customer Service Law. The Congress of Deputies ratified the Senate's decision to completely remove the fourth additional provision, where the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had included the regulatory amendment for the gambling sector.
The amendment, presented in the Upper House by the Popular Group, argued that the gambling reform was unrelated to the purpose of the law, which was exclusively focused on regulating customer service. The absolute majority of the PP in the Senate allowed the removal of that provision, and in the return vote in Congress this Thursday, December 11, the PSOE deputies and their allies failed to gather the necessary votes to reverse the elimination.
The Government's parliamentary situation, weakened after the withdrawal of support from the seven deputies of Junts per Catalunya, was decisive and left the Government with no room to recover the gambling reform.
During the debate, Socialist deputy Carmen Andrés criticized the decision, stating that by eliminating the reform that tightened the rules on gambling advertising, “the door is opened to pathological gambling.” She also questioned how they will explain this withdrawal to organizations such as FEJAR and UNAD, accusing the opposition of favoring “the most powerful, the large companies in the gambling sector.”
With Thursday’s vote, the Customer Service Law completed its parliamentary process with several final modifications: the amendment to the first paragraph of article 9.1, the removal of the gambling reform in the fourth final provision, and an adjustment in the sole transitional provision. The text is now ready for publication in the Official State Gazette and its entry into force.
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