Spain’s Palma Sets a Density Limit for Gaming Venues

The local government of the Palma de Mallorca community in Spain has decided to introduce stricter gambling rules. The new regulation concern the state’s brick-and-mortar gambling venues.

New Rules Will Limit the Maximum Density of Shops

The new rules concern the size of retail venues. The rules are in line with Palma de Mallorca’s New General Plan from 2021. According to the plan, no new venues may launch within 500 meters of a green area.

Furthermore, the new rules will now regulate the maximum density of gambling venues. This also includes bars that offer gambling products. As per the new regulations, the maximum density of gambling venues will be three in a radius of 50 meters.

Spain’s goal is to reduce the density of gambling venues. Despite the country’s problem gambling rates, anti-gambling sentiments remain strong. In fact, Palma de Mallorca is not the first Spanish community to consider limiting the maximum density of gambling venues. Recently, the Balearic Island also eyed similar measures.

The Government Is Happy with the New Rules

Neus Truyol, Palma’s city model councilor for decent housing and sustainability, commented on how the new rules will change gambling in the community. She agreed that the density regulations will make it much more difficult to introduce new venues and just as hard to expand old ones.

Despite that, Truyol shared that she is happy with the new regulations. According to her words, the ceaseless expansion of venues at the Plaza de Santa Payesa is regrettable. That’s why a rule needed to prevent venues from endlessly growing.

Spain Remains One of the Strictest Gambling Markets

Spain has been further cracking on gambling shops by introducing a moratorium that prohibits the launch of new venues. According to the government, it will not allow the opening of new venues until at least half of the currently-existing businesses are no more. Right now, there are about 140 halls per million inhabitants – a number Spain wants to reduce to 75.

This moratorium comes in the wake of two other moratoriums from 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Spain temporarily prohibited new venues and stopped issuing licenses to new companies. Last December, it introduced another moratorium that and later replaced it with an indefinite moratorium. Spain hopes to bring the number of venues down, especially in high-density regions such as the aforementioned Balearic Island.

To top it, Spain recently introduced a ban on gambling ads that prohibits companies from promoting their products during the larger portion of the day. The ban was later challenged as the Supreme Court announced that it will look into the matter and decide whether the ban is constitutional or not.