Anti-smoking Act represented a 20% decline in revenues in 2011

One of the factors that had a key influence in the recession was the Anti-smoking Act. "The smoking ban represented approximately 20% of the decline in our collection. If tomorrow smoking was allowed, revenues would raise automatically, " assured John Lacarra, general secretary of the Spanish Association of Casino and Recreational Businessmen (ANESAR).

This will be one of the issues in which employers will work in 2012, because it is an important factor for the recovery of this business segment, which also depends on other subjects related to regulatory changes and new products.

"We need regulations to be homogenized by the Autonomous Communities. That is, take the best of each and apply them in those territories that don’t have them yet. For example, the expansion of electronic bingo to all Spanish regulations as well as sports betting or B3.
“The aim is to generalize what it is legislated and works, said Lacarra.

Among the new product alternatives, the principal is the server-based game, "since it is the main option in the positioning of the gambling rooms market." A niche business that requires a tax based on the win, "but below the 25% set for online betting, because gambling rooms have to face more costs than Internet operators”.

To Lacarra "there is a depletion of the product due to stiffness regulation." ANESAR wants to use existing technology to change the concept of these places and face new business scenarios.