Spanish gaming venues warned about reopening

Spain’s gambling regulator has warned some gaming venues that they must remain closed despite much of the country emerging from lockdown.

The Spanish Government has been easing restrictions throughout May, with many public gaming concessions allowed to reopen across the country this week.

However, Dirección General de Ordenación de Juego (DGOJ) has advised operators that the most recent update from the government on 16 May about those establishments that can reopen expressly excludes certain outlets.

In particular, it prohibits public gaming concessions “located within shopping malls or commercial parks, without direct and independent access from public roads”.

It said that this extends to all types of venue which are run in accordance with gaming regulations, including casinos, betting shops and arcades.

Spain’s initiation of a countrywide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus prompted state-owned lottery operator Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE) to suspend all ticket sales in mid-March.

In April, the Spanish government adopted a series of new measures to preserve social and economic order during the novel coronavirus pandemic, including strict new restrictions on online gaming advertising.

SELAE state lottery outlets reopened this week, and the ONCE lottery vendors will begin working again from June 15.