(Jamma) The Spanish government is considering introducing an identification system for players of limited-payout gaming machines. This is what was announced through the answer to a parliamentary question regarding the phenomenon of pathological gambling and the diffusion of slot machines. “The data available to the government, provided by the Ministry of the Interior, indicate that in 2010 spending on slots was 11.338 million euros, reads the response, the loss for the players is 3377 million euros”. According to the Member who tabled the question in the period 2007-2010 the amounts lost by gamblers increased by 7%, while the amounts played decreased by 10%. This is because the winning percentages have been reduced. The MP calls for the government to introduce stricter control measures. The government lets it be known that the control and approval procedures are the responsibility of the bodies headed by the Autonomous Communities and not by the central government. With this, the Government, through the Directorate General of the Ministry of Finance, Gaming and Public Administration, in collaboration with the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs and Other Addictions, has launched a responsible gaming initiative for the definition and creation of a sector that deals with responsible gaming to mitigate the damage to minors and vulnerable people.
