There are signs that the Spanish authorities recognise the employment levels within the gaming industry and are prepared to help.
Some machine taxes have been cut to induce operators to hold on to their staff in the economic downturn, which has stripped as much as 50per cent out of cashboxes.
In Murcia and the Basque Country – two of Spain’s 17 semi-autonomous regions – machines are now permitted to be linked in wide-area progressives as a means to increase performance and help restore incomes. Valencia has reduced the annual tax on an AWP machines from €3,600 to €3,200.
In Murcia the €3,600 annual tax drops to €3,000 if an operator retains the number of employees and number of machines in operation for the full year.
The strong bingo industry in Spain – at about 400 halls, down 30 on the previous year – is also benefiting. Four out of the 17 provinces have switched away from paying taxes on the bingo cards sold to a percentage of the revenue. Catalunya has offered alternative games and additional games, reducing the 25 per cent tax on the face value of the card to 15 per cent.
Electronic bingo games without tickets, another strong machine sector in Spain, now carry a tax of 35 per cent on the win in Castilla-Leon, Aragon, Madrid, Catalunya and also Valencia, where the rule is expected at any time.
Arresting declining ‘takes’ in AWPs and bingo and therefore protecting jobs may take stronger action, however, many industry observers feel.
